^^'BRAJj 



^^G«ESS 




r 
MISS PARLOA'S 

Young Housekeeper 

©estgneti lEspeciallg to aiti tSejgmners 

Economical Receipts for those who are Cooking 
FOR Two OR Three 



_ / 
MARIA ' PARLOA 

FOUNDER OF TWO SCHOOLS OF COOKERY AND AUTHOR OF " THE 
APPLEDORE COOK BOOK," "MISS PARLOA'S KITCHEN COM- 
PANION," "miss PARLOA'S NEW COOK BOOK AND 
MARKETING GUIDE," " FIRST PRINCIPLES OF 
HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT," ETC. 



ILLUSTRATED 



BOSTON 

894 




ESTES AND LAURIAT .f^ ^ O V ' 
i8q4 ' ^ 



\ 



Copyright, 1893, 
By Maria Parloa. 









\ 



John Wilson and Son, Cambridge, U.S.A. 



PREFACE. 



^T THEREVER I have gone in the last fifteen years 
in following my calling as a teacher of cooking, 
earnest appeals have been made to me to plan my 
next book for the especial benefit of those who have 
just begun, or who are about to begin, to keep house 
for two or three. The young wives want to know how 
to buy supplies for a small family ; how to cook eco- 
nomically and well ; what to do with food that is left 
over from any meal ; and numerous other things per- 
taining to their daily work. At last I have set about 
telling them. They will find that it is not necessary 
to have an immense income in order to live well. 
Strict adherence to careful instructions will, with a 
little good sense thrown in, enable a young house- 
keeper to accomplish wonders. She can practise 
economy and at the same time have a table that is 
attractively and wholesomely spread, — something for 
which most housekeepers strive without knowing the 
best way to reach the goal. Of course, not all who 



iv PREFACE. 

begin to build a home are obliged to count every 
dollar they expend. For the benefit of those who 
can start in their married life with a servant to aid 
them and money enough to indulge in luxuries, some 
special information and advice are given. But, after 
all, the aim has been particularly to lend a hand to 
those whose incomes are moderate; to make the 
book a simple one, — one that even a girl may take 
interest in studying. If it prove of value to those 
young women who are establishing homes for them- 
selves, its chief mission will be accomplished. 

M. P. 

RoxBURY, Mass., 1893. 



CONTENTS. 



Page 

A Word with the Young Housewife i 

About Furnishing the House 4 

Division of the Household Work 22 

Some Things to be Learned Early 31 

Work on Washing Day 44 

In the Dining-Room 52 

Buying Food and Caring for It ...... . 60 

Soups 80 

Fish 96 

How TO Cook Meat 112 

Sauces for Meat and Fish 164 

Salads 172 

Vegetables i77 

Miscellaneous Dishes 200 

Bread in Various Forms , 217 

Cake . .241 

Pastry 253 

Puddings 260 

Sweets , 289 

Beverages 300 

Preserves and Pickles ........... 307 



Vi ."ONTENTS. 

Page 

For Those who Live on Farms 324 

Care of the Sick 338 

When Cleaning House 352 

Odd Bits of Useful Knowledge 361 



Index 391 



MISS PARLOA'S 
YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER, 



CHAPTER I. 

A WORD WITH THE YOUNG HOUSEWIFE. 

IF one were to get a hundred reputed good housekeepers 
to come together and give their ideas of what consti- 
tutes good housekeeping, no two would agree upon all 
points. There are essentials which every one recognizes, 
but there are many things which one housekeeper considers 
of the greatest importance, whereas another may think the 
same things of minor consequence or of no consequence 
whatever. It is a sad fact that some good housekeepers 
are not good home-makers. The young housekeeper should 
bear in mind that, while it is essential that the home should 
be clean and orderly, and the food well cooked and regu- 
larly served, this does not make the home. One can get 
all these comforts in a well conducted hotel or boarding- 
house, but the man or woman is to be pitied who has no 
higher ideal of a home than what is furnished by a hotel 
or boarding-house, no matter how sumptuous. A selfish 
woman can make a good housekeeper, so far as the keep- 
ing of the house in perfect running order is concerned, but 
it is difficult for a selfish or lazy woman to make a home. 
A young woman who would create an ideal home must pos- 
sess some judgment, and a heart in which charity and sym- 
pathy have a large place. 



2 MISS PARLOA'S young HOUSEKEEPER. 

My idea of good housekeeping, is where a woman keeps 
her home sweet and orderly ; provides simple, well cooked 
food ; makes her home so restful and cheerful that all who 
come into it shall be better for breathing the atmosphere 
of kindness and cheerfulness that pervades the place ; and 
where the household machinery always runs smoothly because 
of the constant thoughtfulness of the mistress of the house. 
A place like this is truly a home, and the woman at the head 
of it deserves the respect and admiration of everybody. I 
have seen such homes among the rich and among the poor, 
for neither wealth nor poverty prevents the right person 
from filling with the atmosphere of comfort and happiness 
the house of which she is the mistress. 

A housekeeper's duties are many, and, to one nervous 
and fretful, they are exhausting. What seems to the woman 
of good digestion and steady nerves a mere trifle, to be 
laughed at and forgotten, may appear to the delicate, ner- 
vous woman a calamity to be wept over. Much of the irri- 
tabiUty from which women suffer is due to their expectation . 
of too much of themselves and others. If women would be 
reconciled to the inevitable, they might make everybody 
about them much happier. A choice bit of china may be 
broken. Is it worth the while to make the whole household 
miserable for what cannot be helped? A dish may be 
spoiled in the cooking. It will not help your digestion or 
that of the family to fret over it. You may be naturally very 
orderly, but some members of the family may not. Will it 
pay to make them and yourself uncomfortable by worrying 
over the matter? If your servant or any other member of 
the household should not come up to your standard, throw 
the mantle of charity over the faults that you cannot remedy, 
and pray that others may be equally charitable to you. 

The good housekeeper will certainly look well to the ways 
of her household, but her eyes will be those of the kind, just 
woman. She will not look for miracles ; she will not expect 
to get the best supplies and service -when paying only the 



A WORD WITH THE YOUNG HOUSEWIFE. 3 

lowest price ; she will not hope to make something out of 
nothing ; she will be brave enough to live within her means, 
even if they be small ; she will not be afraid to do her work 
honestly and well ; and, finally, she will be so true to herself 
at all times, and so adjust and simplify her domestic duties 
that she will not exhaust body and mind in trying to do two 
persons' work for the sake of " keeping up appearances." 
How many families lose all the comforts of home life in this 
senseless effort ! If you stop to consider what this " keep- 
ing up appearances" means it puts the people in a very 
unenviable light, for it simply means that people want to 
give you a false impression of their possessions. No mem- 
ber of the family is so much injured by this deceptive life as 
the housekeeper. All her power of body and mind is bent 
to the task of making the best possible appearance with the 
smallest amount of expenditure. Intellect is cramped in 
the battle and all repose is gone from home Hfe. No mat- 
ter how good the housekeeping, the spirit of the home- 
maker is not there. No young woman has a right to dwarf 
her life for such a purpose. Let her make the most of the 
means at her command, but let her never sacrifice her phy- 
sical, moral, and mental well-being to a desire to make a 
display disproportionate to her circumstances, for that is 
not good housekeeping. 



CHAPTER 11. 

ABOUT FURNISHING THE HOUSE. 

IN these days of lavish ornamentation and bric-a-brac, the 
young housekeeper must be on guard against filUng her 
house with such furnishings as would make it stuffy and 
cause it to lack individuality. The home should be an 
index to the character of the family. D<^ not furnish your 
house fully until you have lived in it a while. Buy at first 
only such furniture as you need for comfort. When you 
are settled you can study the needs of each part of the 
house, and, after you have fully determined exactly what 
you want, buy it whenever you see an advantageous 
chance. 

Never decide hastily upon a piece of furniture ; pur- 
chase for the future as much as for the present. It is 
true fashions change in furniture from year to year, but it 
is only people of large means who can follow a fashion of 
this kind. The plain, elegant styles are quite expensive as 
compared with the ordinary pieces which are turned out 
of factories by the thousand, and which are covered with 
ornamentation to catch the popular fancy. One quickly 
wearies of such furniture ; besides, it is not so well made 
as the plainer styles, and therefore gets out of order very 
easily. 

Get the things necessary for kitchen, bedroom, dining- 
room, and sitting-room before doing anything about the 
parlor, and let every article be of good quality, no matter 
how plain. Make an estimate of what you can spend on 
each room; then get the best things possible. 



ABOUT FURNISHING THE HOUSE. 5 

What to Buy for the Chambers. 

One can get a chamber set for as low a sum as twenty- 
five dollars ; but the prices run up rapidly until the hundreds 
are reached. Handsome, well made sets, with little or no 
ornamentation (the quality of the wood, and the finish, 
giving them a simple elegance not found in more showy 
pieces) cost from forty to seventy-five dollars. ( The set 
includes bedstead, dressing-case, wash-stand, towel-rack, a 
small table, two common chairs, and a rocker. \ The more 
expensive sets have the English wash-stand. No marble is 
used with the finest chamber furniture. The springs, mat- 
tresses, etc., must be purchased separately, as a rule. Have 
good ones. Have shades and plain muslin curtains for the 
windows. Stain the floors, if possible. If you prefer not 
to do that, use straw matting, with one rug beside the bed 
and another in front of the wash-stand. In buying the 
toilet set select one that has a plain, fine shape and simple 
decoration. 

Dining-room Furniture. 

There are two articles which one must have for this 
room : a table and some chairs. It often happens that the 
young housekeeper, not realizing the necessity for having 
these of generous size, and well made, chooses articles that 
appear good, but which, in a short time, become unstable. 
Oak is the most satisfactory wood for the dining-room. 
Have the table of good width, as a narrow one never looks 
well. The chairs should be strong, broad-seated, and with 
high backs. 

Having the chairs and table, you can wait for the other 
things, although a sideboard table is a desirable thing, if 
one can afford it. If you cannot have exactly what you 
want, be patient. Sideboards, sideboard tables, and china 
closets of glass all come in such simple yet tasteful designs 
that one may be sure to like them all one's life. It will pay 
to wait for such a piece of furniture. Have a hard- wood 



6 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

floor, if you can ; otherwise have the floor stained. Just 
enough of the floor may be stained to make a deep border, 
and a simple rug be placed in the centre of the room. 
Shades, without any draperies, answer very well for this 
room. 

Comfort in the Sitting-room. 

In the sitting-room, where the family gathers for the 
evening, and where some members of the household spend 
a good part of each day, put all the comfort you can. Let 
it be one of the largest and brightest rooms in the house. 
There should be a bookcase, a firm table of good size, 
several comfortable chairs, a couch with plenty of pillows, a 
good lamp, with a shade that will not try the eyes, some 
pictures, a few plants and shades and draperies that will 
soften, but not exclude, the light. If possible, have an open 
fireplace. Let this be a room that shall always be remem- 
bered as one of the pleasantest spots in the world. When 
possible, have a hard -wood or a stained floor, with a rug in 
the centre. 

Selecting Carpets and Rugs. 

In buying carpets remember that the best are always the 
cheapest. The more limited one's means are, the more 
essential it is that only a good article shall be purchased. 
The best quality of body Brussels will outwear two or more 
of the cheaper tapestry carpets. A finely woven smooth 
ingrain carpet may cost half a dollar more per yard than 
one of common texture, but it will be cheaper in the 
end. Nothing is more unsatisfactory than one of the 
loosely woven straw mattings. A fine matting, costing say 
from sixty to seventy cents a yard, will last a dozen years or 
more, with constant wear, too. It is so fine that but little 
dust sifts through, and the strands do not pull apart, as 
in coarser grades. Rugs for the centre of the room can 
be made from a body Brussels, with a border to match. 



ABOUT FURNISHING THE HOUSE. 7 

They should be tacked down. Japanese cotton rugs, pretty 
and durable, cost from three to six dollars. They are 
good for bedrooms, bath-rooms, and sitting-rooms. Buy 
handsome rugs whenever you can afford to. They are 
a good investment; for, unhke carpets, they do not wear 
out, and you can hand them down in the family the same 
as silver or diamonds. A beautiful Oriental rug is a joy for- 
ever. In selecting one be particular to see that the colors 
are rich, and have some brightness. In general, when 
choosing carpets, have the groundwork rather light, and the 
colors somewhat neutral. Such a carpet will always look 
clean, and you will not feel the need of shutting out the 
sunlight through fear of the carpet's fading. 

Choosing a Dinner and Tea Set. 

To the young housekeeper of limited means the choice 
of her table china is quite an important matter. One can 
get sets for seven and eight dollars, but I should not advise 
buying anything cheaper than a fifteen-dollar set. If a 
decorated set be wanted, take one having soft tints, because 
people soon get weary of seeing pronounced colors or 
patterns. 

Very pretty English sets of one hundred and fifty pieces, 
decorated in blue, may be had for fifteen dollars. Minton 
sets of one hundred and thirty-six pieces, basket-pattern 
border, and decorated in a fine shade of blue, are offered as 
low as twenty-five dollars. 

American china sets in colored decorations are sold at 
about the same price as the English. Plain white French 
china sets of one hundred and thirty pieces cost about 
thirty-five dollars. The quality and prices rise rapidly until 
sets costing hundreds of dollars are reached. 

In making a choice from the great variety displayed there 
are several things to consider. For instance, what price 
can you afford to pay ? Is the style one that will be lasting, 



8 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

and are the goods durable? It often happens that the 
decoration of a cheap set is much daintier than that of 
some of the more expensive kinds. 

The English and American wares are thick, and do not 
chip or break easily ; but when they do chip, the broken 
part soon becomes dark. The glaze on these wares cracks 
readily when exposed to a high temperature. In a dinner 
set one does not notice particularly that the ware is thick ; 
but thickness in the cups and saucers is disagreeably notice- 
able, especially in the English wares. Then, too, unless one 
get a " stock pattern," it will often be difficult and expensive 
to replace a broken piece. The dealers intend to carry a 
pattern five years; after that one cannot feel sure of repla- 
cing a broken piece without much delay and expense. Plain 
white French china can always be replaced ; the glaze does 
not crack when exposed to a high temperature ; if chipped, 
the broken part does not become discolored ; the ware is in 
good shapes ; the cups and saucers are delicate and pj'etty, 
so that a full set of the china is desirable, which, to my 
mind, is not the case with the English or American wares. 

In buying the French china it is wise to get plates with 
rolled edges. It seems to me, all things considered, that 
the French china is the most satisfactory, unless there is to 
be rather rough handling, when I would advise the purchase 
of the English or American productions. In that case I 
would further advise that only a dinner set be bought, and 
that something daintier be taken for the tea and breakfast 
table. 

Odd cups and saucers are quite proper, and give variety 
and brightness to the table. Odd dessert and salad plates, 
also, are to be preferred to the regulation sets. The dessert 
plates and cups and saucers that may be picked up here 
and there in one's travels are constant reminders of pleasant 
experiences. 



ABOUT FURNISHING THE HOUSE. 9 

Dainty Things for the Table. 

Glass has largely taken the place of silver on some of 
the most elegant tables, many housekeepers collecting and 
prizing cut-glass as they would jewels ; but the woman of 
moderate means and good taste will find it possible to set 
her table with plain, clear glass of dainty and elegant 
shapes which will add brilliancy to the entire table service. 
Water bottles, or carafes, as they are commonly called, are 
much used, and are a great convenience. Individual salt- 
cellars are again used instead of the salt-shakers which were 
so popular for many years. These salt-cellars come in glass, 
dainty china, and silver. A small silver salt-spoon is placed 
by each one. The china and silver are by all odds the most 
effective on the table. Pepper bottles of odd designs are 
placed by the salt. Castors are not in favor. 

Bread-and-butter plates may be used at all meals, but 
are particularly suited for breakfast, luncheon, and tea. 
They are placed at the left of the regular plate. When 
the butter and bread are passed, you put them on this 
plate, dispensing with the small butter plate. These little 
plates are a great help in keeping the table-cloth clean. 
They come in several sizes and tasteful patterns. 

Fashions in Cutlery. 

Table cutlery, as the designation was formerly under- 
stood, included all the knives and forks, nut-picks, etc. 
To-day, among well-to-do people, all the forks, except that 
which belongs to the carving set, are either sterling- silver 
or silver-plated. It is astonishing how the table appliances 
have multiplied in this luxurious age. For the fish course 
there are sterling- silver knives and forks of special shapes, 
and a broad silver knife and fork for serving the fish. 
Oyster forks of another shape are considered indispensable 
when raw oysters are served. Knives and forks of medium 



10 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

size are used for entrees, the forks being silver and the 
knives having silver, silver-plated, or steel blades. For the 
meat course the forks are silver and the blades of the knives 
steel. The dessert knives and forks are silver-plated ; the 
butter knives that are placed by the little bread-and-butter 
plates are silver. So it will be seen that the cutlery of 
to-day does not mean for fine tables what it did formerly. 
Common knives and forks are made with flat tangs, to 
which pieces of wood or bone are joined for the handle. 
In fine knives the tang is made round, and is pressed into 
a round groove made in the handle. Sometimes this is 
fastened with a rivet, sometimes with a spring, and again 
with some cement. 

The handles of the finest knives are weighted, unless 
made of a heavy material like silver. This is important, 
as it causes the knife to lie flat upon the table. Handles 
are made of sterling silver, mother-of-pearl, ivory, grained 
celluloid, plain celluloid, etc. Buckhorn and imitations 
of buckhorn are used a great deal for carving sets. Ivory 
has been used the most for the best class of knives and 
forks, but in furnace- heated houses the ivory is apt to 
split. Even the greatest care does not insure against it, 
and dealers find that this often happens while the goods 
are kept in their stores. As a substitute for ivory, cel- 
luloid, grained celluloid, and ivorine are coming into use. 
These substances neither crack, stain, nor turn yellow, as 
does the ivory ; which, of course, is a great consideration. 
Mother-of-pearl handles cost about twice as much as ivory. 
With proper care one can keep them in good condition 
through a hfetime. Sterling- silver handles are very hand- 
some and satisfactory. Knives and forks with metal handles, 
which are plated with the rest of the knife or fork, are the 
most commonly used, because they are so easily cared for 
and are not liable to get out of order. They are, however, 
not found upon elegant tables. 



ABOUT FURNISHING THE HOUSE. II 



WHAT IS NEEDED IN THE KITCHEN. 

The kitchen is so important a part of the home that the 
furnishing should be such as to make the work there both 
easy and successful. The following list may aid the young 
housekeeper when making her purchases. The woman 
with a limited purse may find that she will have to strike 
out many things from the list, while the woman with a large 
house and money in plenty will probably extend it. 

The Range. 

Upon no one article of household furniture do the com- 
fort and well-being of the family depend so much as upon 
the kitchen range or stove. A poor range will spoil not 
only food, but also good temper and happiness; whereas 
the right sort of range, well treated, will be a source of the 
greatest comfort and economy. No matter what else you 
feel you must economize in, do not let it be in buying the 
kitchen range. Some ranges have reached such a degree 
of perfection that it is hard to see where they can be im- 
proved. The plainer the range the easier it will be to keep 
it clean, and of course the cost will be less than if it be 
trimmed very much. Before making a choice, examine 
every part thoroughly. x\lways try to get one that has a 
large oven in proportion to the size of the range. There 
should be plenty of dampers that can be used to hasten the 
fire or to check it, so that it will keep twelve hours, if neces- 
sary. Ranges are made that will do this. Learn all the 
characteristics of your range, and treat it well ; then it will 
be an invaluable friend to you. 

In the kitchen, as in every other part of the house, it 
is economy to furnish with good articles. Poor cooking 
utensils are never cheap. In buying iron utensils, be sure 
to get those that are thoroughly finished. The steel goods 
come higher than the cast-iron, but they are so smooth 



12 



MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 



that they are four times as valuable in the kitchen as the 
rougher makes. 

The granite or agate ware lightens the labors in the 
kitchen wonderfully. It is, however, very expensive, and 
is not so well made as formerly. When buying this ware, 
examine it closely to see that there is no defect in the 
enamel. A careful housekeeper who does her own work 
will find this ware a great comfort, it is so light, smooth, and 
clean ; and with good treatment it will last well. 

Mixing-bowls come in yellow and white ware. The white 
is stone china, and is more durable than the yellow; and 
although it costs more than the latter, it is cheaper in the 
end. A steamer of medium size is one of the most useful 
utensils. If it be hght and simple, it will be used frequently 
for making puddings and for warming over food, etc. The 
cheapest kind is made of tin, and in two parts, the lower 
part being a deep saucepan, into which the water is put, 
and the upper part a round pan with a perforated bottom. 
Be particular to see that the cover and all other parts fit 
well. 

Here is a list of articles with which all kitchens should be 
supplied : — 

List of Articles most in Use. 



Basins, of granite ware, — one 
three-pint, one two-quart, one 
one-gallon. 

Bowls : yellow, — two two-quart, 
one three-quart, one one-gallon, 
two six-quart ; white, — six, 
each holding about a pint ; two 
smooth ones, each holding 
about a quart. 

Bread board. 

Bread pans, two, for small loaves. 

Broilers, — one for fish, one for 
other uses. 

Broom. 

Bucket, or tin box, for sugar. 



Cake pans, three, — one deep, two 

shallow. 
Carving knife and fork. 
Case knives and forks, six each. 
Chairs, three, — one to be low and 

comfortable. 
Chopping knife and bowl. 
Coffee-pot. 
Colander. 

Cups and saucers, half a dozen. 
Dipper, long-handled. 
Dishcloths, two, — one being of 

wire. 
Dishpans, two. 
Dish rack. 



ABOUT FURNISHING THE HOUSE. 



13 



Double boilers, two, — one hold- 
ing one quart, the other two. 

Dredgers for salt, pepper, and 
flour. 

Dripping-pans, two, — large and 
small. 

Duster. 

Dustpan. 

Egg-beater. 

Flour scoop. 

Flour sieve. 

Frying-basket. 

Frying-pans, — one, small, with 
short handle; four with long 
handles, Nos. i, 2, 3, 5. 

Glass jars for rice, etc. 

Graters, — one for nutmegs ; one 
coarse, for general use. 

Griddle. 

Lemon squeezer, glass. 

Measuring cups, two. 

Meat board. 

Meat rack, small. 

Moulding board. 

Mufifin pans, two, — each holding 
eight or twelve muffins. 

Pitchers, four, for milk, etc. 

Plates, one dozen. 

Platters, two stone-china, for 
meat. 

Pudding mould, melon, three-pint. 

Quart measure. 

Range. 



Rolling-pin. 

Roll-pans, French, holding six or 

eight rolls. 
Scotch bowl. No. 4. 
Skewers, set of steel. 
Soap-shaker. 
Spice boxes or jars. 
Spoons, — six teaspoons, two 

table spoons, two wooden 

spoons, two large iron spoons. 
Steamer. 
Stewpans, — two one-quart, two 

two-quart, two three-quart, one 

six-quart. 
Stone pots, several small ones, 

with covers, for various kinds 

of meal. 
Stove-brush. 
Strainers, two, small, — one for 

general use, the other for gravy ; 

also one of fine wire. 
Tables, two ; if possible, have one 

covered with zinc or enamel 

cloth. 
Teakettle. 
Teapot. 

Tin boxes for bread and cake. 
Tin plates, four, deep. 
Tin sheet. 
Towels, — three kinds for dishes, 

and others for the hands. 
Vegetable masher. 



FURNISHING THE LINEN CLOSET. 



In olden times the bride came to her new home with 
a generous supply of linen, the greater part of which was 
spun and woven by her own hands ; in many cases, indeed, 
the flax was raised and prepared for the spinning-wheel by 
her. In some parts of Europe this custom still exists. The 
bride of to-day takes great pains and pride in providing 
her household hnen, many months being given to dainty 



14 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

sewing and embroidery. Each article has stitched into it 
many bright hopes and day dreams. Nothing else in the 
furnishing of the home has blended with it so many tender, 
loving thoughts, and to the woman of sentiment it is more 
sacred than almost any other household possession. Once 
acquired, this love for fine household linen will cling to a 
woman all her life. Indeed, what material thing can she 
bring to her new home that will give more pleasure than a 
generous supply for her linen closet ? 

Imported Linens. 

Irish, French, Scotch and English table linens cover many 
grades, from the coarsest to the finest weaving and the most 
elaborate patterns. All the new designs are large, but in 
some of the choicest damasks it is possible to get small 
patterns, if they be preferred. The damask sold by the 
yard rarely reaches a higher price than two dollars and a 
half. If one wish for especially pleasing designs and ex- 
tremely fine quality, it will be necessary to buy the set, — 
table-cloth and one dozen napkins. The usual width of the 
best table damask is two yards and a half, but it may be 
three yards in width. The cloths come from two and a 
half to four yards in length. In these handsome cloths the 
border is deep, and the centre frequently perfectly plain. 

Table-cloths and Napkins. 

The range in quality and price of table Hnen is greater 
than that of almost any other fabric. It is a long step from 
the materials that are so coarse, so loosely woven that they 
might be used for sieves, to the double damask, so fine that 
even under a magnifying glass it is almost impossible to 
discern the threads. One can buy three or four yards of 
the coarse fabric for about a dollar, and it is possible to be 
asked one hundred times as much for a dozen napkins and 
a table-cloth, three or four yards long, of the finer quahty. 



ABOUT FURNISHING THE HOUSE. 1 5 

But the average housekeeper does not go to these extremes. 
It does, however, often happen that a woman with a limited 
purse, and a thousand calls upon it, makes the mistake of 
buying table linen of too inferior a grade. It is not economy 
to purchase a mixture of cotton and linen. Better a coarse 
all-linen table cloth than a fine one with part cotton, which 
may look attractive in the store, but cannot be laundered 
well, whereas the pure hnen will improve with age and wear. 
In purchasing table linen the questions that the housekeeper 
should ask herself are : Will it be subject to hard wear, and 
be laundered by inexperienced hands? Can I afford to 
replenish it frequently? Shall it be fine and beautiful, or 
shall it be durable, with as much beauty as possible under 
the circumstances? 

The finest goods are of Irish and P'rench manufacture ; but 
the German, while coarse, wear wonderfully well, and some 
of them have very handsome designs. Nothing in the way 
of linen lasts longer than the half- bleached damask, and if 
one live in the country, this may be bleached to a snowy 
whiteness in a few months. In purchasing these German 
goods it is wise to get a cloth that costs at least one dollar 
and a half or two dollars per yard. A cloth of this kind will 
outwear several of the cheaper grades that are mixed with 
cotton, and if properly laundered it will always look well. 
Of course, one can get in these goods a fair piece of table 
linen at seventy-five cents or a dollar per yard, but the better 
quality will be found to be the cheaper in the end. Dinner, • 
luncheon, and tea sets may be had, the cloth costing no 
more than if bought by the yard, with the advantage of 
having a border all around it. 

A piece of heavy felt or double-faced Canton flannel will 
be required under the table-cloth. It will cost about eighty 
cents a yard. It is a good plan to get one that will answer 
when the table is enlarged for guests. It can be folded 
double when the table is small. 



1 6 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Size and Quality of Napkins. 

Fashion has decreed that a napkin shall not be put on ' 
the table a second time until it has been washed. Few 
housekeepers, however, have the means to provide them- 
selves with such a supply of napkins, not to speak of the 
laundress to care for them ; so the napkin ring is still a 
necessity in the average household. It is important, how- 
ever, that the supply be large enough to admit of their 
being changed two or three times a week. For general 
use a dinner napkin is to be preferred, unless a separate 
set of table-cloths and napkins be desired for breakfast. 
In that case the napkins should be smaller than for din- 
ner. All napkins are finished with a plain hem, or are 
hemstitched. 

Fringe is rarely used, except on fancy doilies. The 
plain square napkin comes in all sizes, from twenty inches 
to the size of the dinner napkins, which measure twenty- 
seven inches ; and the cost is anywhere from one dollar and 
a half to fifty dollars a dozen. At five or six dollars a 
dozen one can get napkins that are good enough for ordi- 
nary use. The cheaper and smaller ones are unsatisfactory. 
Whenever possible, the napkin should match the cloth. 
One cloth will outwear two sets of napkins ; therefore it is 
well to get two dozen napkins to each cloth. One cannot 
err in laying in a generous stock of plain ones, but the 
'style of the small fancy napkins is constantly changing, and 
one should not buy too many of them at a time. 

A "Word about Doilies. 

Small square or round doilies are used a great deal 
under finger bowls, Roman punch, and sherbet glasses. 
These dainty bits of napery can be purchased in all the 
stores where embroidery and materials for needlework are 
sold ; also in the linen stores. These doihes are either 



ABOUT FURNISHING THE HOUSE. 1 7 

hemstitched or fringed. The embroidery is usually in 
washable silks, fine flowers or Dresden patterns being the 
favorites. Doilies also come in Irish point, Mexican work, 
and various kinds of lace. Larger doilies for bread, cake, 
cheese, etc., are embroidered in white or colored silks, 
with appropriate mottoes. Ladies who wish to do this 
kind of work for themselves, or their friends, can send to 
a stamping and embroidery store for a sample doily, and 
the materials for a dozen or more. One should aim to get 
as much variety as possible in color and design in the 
dozen. A very fine linen is the material generally used. 

At the Oriental stores there can be found a small doily, 
of a crepe-like material, thickly embroidered with silk, or 
silver and gold thread. They come with and without a 
fringe, the fringed ones costing more than twice as much as 
those without. I prefer those without the fringe for table 
use. These doilies can be washed, but it must be with 
great care. If the housekeeper will be careful to wash and 
iron her doilies herself, they will always look fresh and 
dainty. Make a strong suds with hot water and white 
castile soap ; wash the doilies in this, and rinse them in 
several warm waters. Squeeze them very dry, and spread 
them on a clean towel, and cover another towel over them. 
Roll up tight and iron immediately. 

Tea, Carving, and Tray Cloths. 

For the small tables that are set for five o'clock teas and 
card parties, etc., there are many pretty and inexpensive 
cloths. Plain linen, with a plain or double row of hem- 
stitching, makes a satisfactory cloth. The cost is about' 
one dollar for a cloth measuring a yard square ; plain 
damask, with hemstitching, costs from one dollar and a 
half to two dollars a square yard, and one dollar more for 
a cloth measuring two square yards. Some long damask 
cloths, with open-work borders and a fringe, cost four or 



1 8 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

five dollars. Small hemstitched cloths of linen and dam- 
ask come for carving cloths, tray cloths, and centre pieces. 
They cost all the way from twenty-five cents upward. 
These are useful in protecting the table, and they may be 
made decorative by embroidery. 

Sheets and Pillow Cases. 

Sheets should always be of generous length and width ; 
never less than two yards and three quarters long, with the 
breadth, of course, depending upon the width of the bed. 
While linen sheets are desirable, they are not within the 
means of all housekeepers of even fair incomes. Cotton 
cloth makes a most satisfactory all-the-year-round sheet, 
and a good quality can be purchased at from twenty-five 
cents to seventy- five cents per yard, the cloth being from 
two yards to two and a half wide. Indeed, one can buy 
good sheets already made, two yards and a half wide, for 
one dollar and a quarter or one dollar and a half apiece. 
It is always more economical to buy the cloth and make 
them at home, for two hems do not mean much work. 
Unbleached sheeting may be made up, and bleached on the 
grass. Buy unbleached cotton for servants' sheets and pil- 
low cases, but do not make them too small. If the bed 
linen be made of generous proportions it will protect the 
bedding, and be more comfortable for the sleepers. Linen 
sheets three yards long can be bought for from five to 
fourteen dollars per pair. Pillow cases to match sell from 
two to three dollars and a half per pair. The finest are 
hemstitched. 

Bed Spreads and Blankets. 

For many years the honeycomb and Marseilles spreads 
have been almost universally used. They are still sold in 
large quantities, and will always be popular, for they need 
only to be hemmed in order to be made, ready for use. 



ABOUT FURNISHING THE HOUSE. 19 

They do not rumple readily, they keep clean a long time, 
and are, indeed, a most serviceable article. The Marseilles 
quilts cost from two to fifteen dollars. Some come in 
colors ; but let no housekeeper be tempted by their beauty, 
for she will find it a difficult matter to make them harmo- 
nize with the other furnishings of her rooms. Dimity is 
being used again. It costs from two dollars and a half to 
four dollars and a half a spread. If one wish to make a 
bolster scarf to go with the dimity, it will be necessary to 
purchase a small spread and cut it in two. These spreads, 
being dainty and easily washed, are in great favor. 

Materials for spreads come in all sorts of fabrics. Gobe- 
lin cloth and what is called basket cloth, both soft, pretty 
goods, are found two yards wide, and cost about one 
dollar and a half a yard. These materials are made into 
spreads and bolster scarfs ; or, instead of the scarfs, a round 
bolster may be covered with the material. These spreads 
and scarfs are often embroidered in washable silks. 

Next to bed linen and towels in plenty, one of the essen- 
tials for the health and comfort of the household is the stock 
of blankets. Cotton batting comforters are cheap and warm, 
but extremely debilitating to the sleeper; and since they 
cannot be washed, they are uncleanly, as compared with 
the woollen coverings. Use plenty of blankets instead, 
and have them washed frequently. For people of limited 
means, blankets that cost from five to six dollars a pair are 
serviceable. People are buying more blankets that are made 
of part wool and part cotton than of the all-wool patterns. 
This is because they can be washed frequently without 
shrinking. Select a smooth, soft blanket with white cotton 
binding. The simpler the border the longer it will please 
you. If possible, have a pair of summer blankets for each 
bed. These cost from three to ten dollars a pair. They 
can be washed as easily as a sheet, and are a source of the 
greatest comfort in hot weather. As they will last the 
greater part of a lifetime, get good ones. When blankets 



20 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

are not in use they should be folded smoothly, pinned in 
sheets, and placed on shelves in the linen closet. 

Bath and Bedroom Towels. 

In nothing relating to the supplies of her house does the 
average housekeeper make so many errors as in the matter 
of towels. It has not been wholly her fault in the past, but 
it certainly will be in the time to come, if bright borders 
and deep fringes decorate the towels with which she fur- 
nishes her chambers and bath-rooms. As in the past, so it 
is now : there is nothing so satisfactory for general use as the 
huckaback towels. They are excellent for absorbing water, 
and the slight friction is both pleasant and healthful. They 
are now hemstitched, and cost from twenty-five cents to a 
dollar and a half apiece, according to size and quality. 
The goods can be bought by the yard if one prefer to make 
her own towels. There are huckaback towels of fancy weav- 
ing, which, hemstitched, cost from fifty cents to on dollar 
and a quarter apiece. Some of these are fringed, at thirty- 
seven and a half cents apiece. Damask towels, which are 
really more for show than use, cost from twenty-five cents 
to two dollars and a half. For the bath-room there are 
really so many good things that it is a difficult matter to 
choose. There always should be soft coarse towels that 
will absorb water quickly, and at the same time cause a 
slight friction. The towels also should be of generous size. 
The huckaback is always good for drying off, but there 
should be a good friction towel after this. Among the good 
bath towels are crash towels, at twenty-five cents apiece. 
Oxford towels, something Hke huckaback, but very large — 
26x50 inches — are one dollar apiece. Imperial bath tow- 
els, of a peculiar style of weaving, absorbing water like a 
sponge, cost a dollar apiece. Turkish towels make an excel- 
lent friction towel, and are within the means of all. They 
can be bought for even less than twenty-five cents ; but I 



ABOUT FURNISHING THE HOUSE. 21 

would not advise anything cheaper than twenty-five or fifty 
cents, as a towel of this kind should be large. An article 
which to me seems ideal as a friction towel is the kind 
made of linen tape, which costs one dollar. 

For Kitchen and Pantry. 

There should be a generous supply of kitchen and pantry 
towels. Nothing is more satisfactory for glassware than the 
plaid linen towels. These should be kept for silver, glass, 
and fine china. Goods of this same character come in 
stripes, and cost from twelve and a half to thirty- seven and 
a half cents per yard. Fine Russian crash, when softened 
by a little wear, makes the best kitchen dish towel. It 
grows finer and whiter with each week's use, whereas the 
very coarse fabric really never softens. Every kitchen 
should be supplied with half a dozen stove towels. Get 
twilled brown cotton crash; cut it into yard- and- a- half 
lengths and hem it. Keep but two of these towels in the 
kitchen, and have one washed each day. They are to use 
in handling the pots and pans about the stove and oven. 
There should be a generous allowance of crash towels in 
the kitchen, as every utensil should be carefully wiped with 
one that is clean and dry. 

The hand towels in the kitchen should be soft and 
smooth. Frequent wiping on the rough Russian crash will 
soon make the hands red and rough, as this hard fabric 
scratches and does not wipe dry. A twilled crash of cotton 
and Unen, which may be bought from twelve and a half to 
fifteen cents a yard, makes satisfactory hand towels. There 
are many varieties. 



CHAPTER III. 

DIVISION OF THE HOUSEHOLD WORK. 

IT is a perplexing task for young housekeepers to divide 
properly the weekly work of the household. Even when 
I start to write on the subject, many difficulties present 
themselves, as no two houses are conducted on exactly the 
same plan. What would be the right thing for one home 
would be entirely impracticable in another. The woman 
who does her own work, or keeps but one servant, must, of 
course, plan her work quite differently from the woman who 
keeps two or more servants. Then, too, the place and 
mode of living will influence the arrangement of household 
work. For example, in the country the style of living is 
much simpler than in the city ; the hours are more regular, 
there are fewer stairs to go over, less dirt and dust accumu- 
late, and, in short, practically all the work is done on two 
floors. This makes the duties of mistress and maid lighter 
than in the city house. The pure air, quiet surroundings, 
and long, uninterrupted hours make it possible for a woman 
to accomplish a great deal of housework in a day, and yet 
have leisure for reading, sewing, and quiet thinking. 

But, on the other hand, the city housekeeper has her 
advantages, such as the house fitted with all modern con- 
veniences ; stores and markets close at hand ; and, if extra 
or heavy work is to be done, easy means of getting men 
and women to do it. The changing scenes in the city 
take woman out of herself and the narrowing cares of home 
life, and keep her interested and in touch with the world, 
thus making her duties less irksome than they might be in 
a regular and monotonous life. 



DIVISION OF THE HOUSEHOLD WORK. 23 

Yet, no matter where one resides, there are certain daily 
duties that must be attended to if people would live de- 
cently and in order. I will try to map out programmes of 
these duties, so that the inexperienced housekeeper will be 
able to outline her daily work by them. It is not to be 
expected that these programmes will be followed exactly ; 
tliey are simply suggestions which each housekeeper may 
adapt to the exigencies of her own household. 

Bvery-day Duties. 

As there are many routine duties that must be per- 
formed every day, I will treat of them here. Special work 
will have a day assigned to it. It is almost appalling to 
look at the list of daily duties of the household, when one 
remembers that it frequently happens that there is but one 
pair of hands to do all the work ; yet there are thousands 
of women who are well and happy in passing their lives 
that way, knowing that they contribute to the health and 
comfort of their families. If there be system in doing the 
work, the burden will be materially hghtened. Each mem- 
ber of the family has his or her duties. Habits of order 
and punctuality should be cultivated. Being late at meals 
and leaving things out of place will increase the burdens of 
the housekeeper in a marked degree. 

What to do in the Morning. 

First, make the kitchen fire ; take up and sift the ashes. 
After brushing all the dust from the range, wash off the 
surface with a cloth and soap and water ; then polish it 
with stove blacking. Rinse out the teakettle, and after 
the water has been running from the cold-water pipes for 
about five minutes, fill the kettle and place it on the fire. 
Sweep and dust the kitchen. Put the breakfast dishes on 
to heat. Air the dining-room and set the table ; then 
prepare and serve the breakfast. Clear the breakfast table, 



24 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

assorting the dishes and freeing them from scraps of food. 
Soak in cold water any dishes that are soiled with mush, 
milk, or eggs ; put the silver in a pitcher of warm water. 

Go up stairs and open the chamber windows, if they 
were not opened the first thing in the morning. Take the 
clothes from the beds, one piece at a time, and spread over 
chairs or a low screen, so that the air shall pass through 
them freely. Beat the pillows and bolsters, and place them 
in a current of air. Turn the mattresses so that they shall 
be aired on all sides. Leave the rooms to air for an hour, 
or longer if possible. 

Return to the kitchen and wash the dishes ; then put 
them away at once. Wash the dish-towels in plenty of 
soap and water, and rinse thoroughly; when possible, dry 
them out of doors. Air, brush, and dust the dining-room ; 
then draw the shades. Make the beds, empty the slops, 
and wash and wipe the bedroom toilet china. Put the 
rooms in order and dust them. Next wash the basins and 
the bath-tub, if necessary, and dust the bath-room. 

Dust the halls and sitting-room, and any other rooms 
that may require it. Collect the lamps and trim them. 
Prepare the dinner or luncheon. If you live in' the city, 
the vestibule and sidewalk must be swept, and perhaps 
washed. The earlier this work is done, the better, as there 
will be less annoyance from frequent passers early in the 
morning. If the home be in the country, the front and 
back steps and the piazzas should be swept at the hour 
most convenient for the housekeeper. In freezing weather 
do not, of course, attempt to wash the piazza, steps, or 
sidewalk, as the result would be an icy surface, dangerous 
to limb and life. 

Special Work for Special Days. 

On Monday, as soon as the water is warm, put the 
clothes to soak in strong suds. After the breakfast dishes 



DIVISION OF THE HOUSEHOLD WORK. 25 

have been washed, begin to wash the clothes. While one 
boilerful is being scalded and a second batch of clothes 
has been prepared for the boiler, put out the line- Now 
put the scalded clothes in the rinsing water. Take nearly 
all the hot suds from the boiler, and replace with clean 
cold water, putting the second batch of clothes to scald 
in this. Rinse the first lot and put on the lines to dry ; 
continue the work until everything except the flannels and 
colored articles have been washed. While the coarse 
towels are being scalded, wash and hang out the flannels ; 
next wash the colored things. When all the clothes have 
been hung out, empty the boiler and wash and wipe it until 
perfectly dry ; also clean the laundry. Now take a lun- 
cheon. Do the chamber- work, and then prepare the family 
luncheon or dinner. The brushing up and dusting must be 
omitted to-day. After the noonday meal, wash the dishes 
and clean up the kitchen. Bathe, and change your clothes ; 
and after resting, take the clothes from the lines and 
sprinkle and fold them. Flannels must be taken in while 
they are still slightly damp. Iron the flannels, and after 
that prepare the evening meal. In the short winter days 
it will be best to wash the flannels and colored clothes 
before the white articles, as the more rapidly a woollen or 
colored fabric dries the better it will look. 

On Tuesday, directly after the breakfast dishes have 
been washed and the dining-room put in order, begin iron- 
ing, starting with the plain pieces, such as sheets and 
pillow-cases. As soon as the irons work smoothly, iron the 
starched clothes. In about two or three hours the fire 
must be replenished. When this is done, and while it is 
burning up, do the chamber work. If all the ironing can- 
not be done in the forenoon, finish it, if you can, in the 
afternoon. The meals for washing and ironing days should 
be as simple as possible. 



26 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Where one Servant is Kept. 

If there be one servant in the house, the mistress can 
make these two days less burdensome, if she herself will 
wash the breakfast dishes, put the dining-room in order, and 
make the beds. If there be children in the family, they can 
be taught to do the lighter work. In suggesting that the 
chamber work be left until the fire is renewed, it is supposed 
that hard coal is used. If wood or soft coal be used, the 
fire will have to be replenished frequently ; and since these 
substances burn much more readily, the time fon chamber 
work will be limited unless the draughts be closed. LWednes- 
day is often taken by housekeepers for a sort of off day ; but 
if, as is the case in many Eastern towns, Thursday be the 
servant's day out, it will be better to sweep on Wednesday, 
and have the lighter work done on Thursday. Once in two 
weeks should be often enough for a thorough cleaning of 
most of the rooms in a well regulated house, A room prop- 
erly cleaned will be in a better sanitary condition at the end 
of two weeks than one that is only half cleaned every week. 
If the floors be of natural wood, or be stained or painted, 
the dust and lint must be wiped off with a dry cloth every 
few days, but if the floors be carpeted the thorough sweep- 
ing once in two weeks should be sufficient, except in a 
sitting-room or dining-room. I will give the method of 
cleaning a room properly. These directions, shghtly modi- 
fied, apply to all rooms. 

Cleaning a Room by System. 

Remove the draperies, and dust and remove all small 
articles. Dust all the furniture, removing the lighter articles 
and covering the heavy pieces ; dust and cover the pictures. 
Brush the walls and ceilings, being careful to remove all dust 
from the tops of the doors and windows. Brush all dust 
from the window frames, ledges, and blinds. If there be 
rugs on a bare floor, roll them up and put them out of doors 



DIVISION OF THE HOUSEHOLD WORK. 2/ 

to be beaten and aired ; then sweep the floor with a soft 
brush. After all the dusting and washing of windows has 
been finished, rub the floor with a soft, dry cloth. If it be 
a stained or painted floor, wipe it a second time with a cloth 
slightly dampened with kerosene ; or if it be polished, do 
the polishing at this time. If the room be carpeted, sweep 
it with a clean broom ; if the carpet be very dusty, sprinkle 
over it, before sweeping, corn meal or sawdust, slightly 
dampened; or, if it be more convenient, take dry salt. 
Let the dust settle, then sweep the carpet a second time. 
Now dust the room, wash the windows, and remove the 
covers from the furniture and pictures. After this has been 
done, put two gallons of tepid water in a pail with four table- 
spoonfuls of household ammonia. Wring a cloth out of 
this and wipe the carpet, rubbing hard to remove any dust. 
Beat the rugs by spreading them face down on clean grass 
or a smooth board and beating with a switch or rattan 
beater. If it be impossible to lay them flat, hang them on 
a line and beat them. Place them on the floors, and put 
the furniture, ornaments, and draperies in place. Clean 
one or more rooms in this manner on Wednesday morning. 
Prepare the noonday meal, and after this has been served, 
and the dining-room and kitchen put in order, rest until it 
is time to attend to the evening meal. 

The Last Half of the Week. 

On Thursday, after the regular work is done, the morn- 
ing should be devoted to various odd tasks, such as clean- 
ing the refrigerator, and inspecting and cleaning the cellar. 
See that no decaying vegetation, damp paper, etc., is 
there. Wash the cellar stairs. Next clean the kitchen 
and prepare something for the evening meal ; then serve 
the noonday meal. 

The remainder of the weekly sweeping should be done 
on Friday morning. Every two weeks the silver should be 



28 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

cleaned in the afternoon. Many housekeepers clean silver 
every week, but if it be properly washed and wiped each 
day this will be unnecessary. 

As there must be some extra cooking done on Saturday 
for Sunday, plan for that on Friday, making all the arrange- 
ments possible, so that this work may be done early Satur- 
day morning, while the fire is at its best. All the materials 
for cooking should be in the house on Friday afternoon or 
early Saturday morning. If fruits are to be prepared for 
the next day's baking, get them ready some time on Friday. 
Saturday is usually a busy day. Extra cooking and clean- 
ing must be done, that the work on Sunday may be light. 
Many housekeepers change the beds on Saturday, rather 
than on Sunday. If this be the practice, when the rooms 
are put to air, remove the soiled linen and spread out the 
fresh, that it may be well aired. If possible, rise early 
enough to clean the steps, piazza, and sidewalk before 
breakfast. As soon as the regular morning work is done, 
attend to the extra cooking. When this is finished, clean 
the kitchen and its closets, the china closets, and the back 
hall. 

A Day of Rest. 

Plan to have as little work as possible to do on Sunday, 
but do not fall into the error of wearing yourself out on 
Saturday and making all the family uncomfortable on Sun- 
day, simply because you would not break the Sabbath. The 
woman who manages to keep her family comfortable and 
happy on this day, even if it be necessary to do a little ex- 
tra work to attain that end, will have a better moral and 
spiritual influence than she who makes all the members 
dread the day as being one of the most uncomfortable in 
the whole week at home. In most families on this day the 
breakfast is late and the dinner served about two o'clock, 
the supper being light and informal. While there are many 
housekeepers who still cling to the old custom of having 



DIVISION OF THE HOUSEHOLD WORK. 29 

cold dinners, the majority have a hot one, as it often hap- 
pens that this is the only meal throughout the week at 
which the whole family is sure to meet. 

If but one servant be kept, she ought not to be required 
to perform any duties after the dinner dishes have been 
washed and put away. The remainder of the day and 
evening should belong to her. If there be no servant, the 
housekeeper surely is entitled to what little rest she can 
get after dinner, and the other members of the family should 
find it a pleasure to prepare whatever light refreshments 
may be required in the evening. Remember that there are 
heavy duties for Monday morning, and do not leave a lot 
of dishes in disorder to add to these burdens. 



Two or More Servants in a Family. 

The round of duties for the week having been thus out- 
lined, I wish to make a few suggestions to the woman who 
keeps two or more servants. The duties must be so divided 
that each shall bear her proper proportion of the work. In 
the case where there are several servants, there is greater 
ceremony in the mode of living. Suppose there be two 
servants, and the family be fairly large. The second girl 
must do all the upstairs work, take care of the parlors, halls, 
dining-room, china closet, etc. It will be her duty to care 
for the silver, glass, and fine china. Every evening, after 
the dining-room work is finished, she will go to the cham- 
bers, empty all slops, refill the water pitchers, turn back the 
bed clothes, and lay the night garments on the bed. She 
will draw the shades and see that there is a stock of matches, 
towels, etc. In the morning she will attend to the dining- 
room, put the breakfast dishes on to heat, dust the lower 
halls and parlors, and sweep the steps and sidewalk. The 
cook will care for all the lower part of the house, her own 
room, the cellar, and the back steps and stoop. The wash- 
ing and ironing must be divided between them. It is usual 



30 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

to have the cook do the plain washmg and ironing, while 
the second girl takes the starched clothes. If, however, 
the second girl be required to do plain sewing, the cook 
does the heavier part of the washing. 

In the matter of the duties of a servant each housekeeper 
must make her own laws, but the more servants there are, 
the more clearly must each one's responsibility be defined, 
and the mistress will save herself an immense amount of 
annoyance if she will take pains to divide the work of the 
household with good judgment and with justice, not allow- 
ing any dictation in the matter. She should not be hasty 
in reaching a conclusion, but should be firm in her de- 
cisions. 



CHAPTER IV. 

SOME THINGS TO BE LEARNED EARLY. 

Proper Management of Fires. 

ONE of the first things a young housekeeper must mas- 
ter is the science of managing fires. Now, a coal 
fire is hke some people : it will stand a certain amount of 
nagging, pressure, and neglect, but it will make you suffer 
in some way for all your abuse. On the other hand, with 
uniformly fair treatment, it will repay a hundred-fold in 
comfort. 

The demands upon the kitchen fire are varied. Some- 
times we want a very hot oven or surface, and again we 
must have only a moderate amount of heat. The degrees 
of heat must be regulated by the various checks and 
draughts in the range, rather than by the use of a greater 
or less amount of coal. In the morning remove all the 
ashes and cinders. Put the shavings or paper on the grate 
loosely, and then put in the kindling wood, crossing the 
pieces, that there may be a free circulation of air. Open all 
the draughts and light the fire. As soon as the wood begins 
to burn, put on some coal. Let the fire burn for ten min- 
utes ; then shut all the dampers, but keep open the draught 
in front of the fire. When the coal begins to burn well, add 
enough fresh fuel to come nearly to the top of the lining of 
the fire-box. Keep the front draught open until all the coal 
has become ignited, but not until it becomes red-hot. Now 
close the front draughts, and the fire will be hot enough for 
anything you may want to do for hours to come. Should 
you want only a moderate heat, there are checks with all 



32 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

modern ranges which enable you to make the combustion 
very slow. If greater heat be wanted, open the draughts, 
and in ten minutes you will have a glowing fire. 

These are the great secrets of always having a good fire 
\hen you want it: I^o not let the coal burn to a white 
.'iwat* when yt»u do not require a hot fire, open all the 
checks ; when you want a hot fire, close the checks and 
open the draughts ; and, of course, the moment there is 
no further need of a hot fire, close the draughts and open 
the checks again. A fire built and managed in this man- 
ner can be used constantly for four or five hours. 

Points about the Furnace Fire. 

The furnace fire should be shaken down and raked per- 
fectly clear in the morning. A few shovelfuls of coal should 
be put on, and all the draughts opened. The ashes should 
then be taken up. As soon as the coal begins to burn well 
and the fire looks clear at the bottom, put in enough coal to 
come almost to the top of the fire-pot. Keep the draughts 
open until all the gas has burned off; then close them, and 
later, if the fire be too hot, open the checks. Except in 
extremely cold weather, this is all the attention that ought 
to be necessary through the day. The fire must be raked 
down and fresh coal or cinders put on in the evening, but 
a small amount of coal will answer for the night, unless the 
draughts have been open the greater part of the day. 

On an extremely cold day it may be necessary to have 
the draughts open a part of the time, and some coal put on 
at noon. 

All the clinkers should be removed when the fire is raked 
down in the morning. The water pan should be replen- 
ished at least once a day. Some careless people leave the 
ashes for a day at a time at the bottom of the furnace, where 
they absorb the heat, robbing the house of its share. 

If the furnace fire be allowed to burn to a white heat it 



SOME THINGS TO BE LEARNED EARLY. 33 

will be ruined for that day, unless more coal be put on a 
little later. The cold-air boxes must admit enough air to 
drive the hot air through the house, but not more than can 
be heated. 

Heating stoves and open grates are to be managed as far 
as possible the same as a furnace. With the stove there is 
no trouble, there being plenty of checks and draughts. The 
open grate is not so well provided. 

Keeping the Refrigerator Sweet. 

Few duties are more important than that of keeping the 
refrigerator in perfect condition. If the lining be broken 
in any part, so that the water soaks into the wood, attend 
to the relining at once ; or, if the refrigerator be not worth 
that, discard it wholly. Never have the waste-pipe con- 
nected with the plumbing in the house. 

Have the refrigerator placed where it can be flooded with 
air and light whenever necessary, but, of course, in as cool a 
place as possible. Once a week have everything removed 
from it. Take out the shelves and wash them in hot soap- 
suds ; then pour boiling water over them. Place them in 
the sun ; or, if that fails, by the range, that they may be per- 
fectly dried. Now take out the ice rack and wash and scald 
in the same way, except that, as there are grooves or wires 
in this, the greatest care must be used to get out every par- 
ticle of dirt that may have lodged there. Next wash out 
the ice compartment, running a flexible wire rod down the 
waste-pipe, that nothing shall lodge there. Put two table- 
spoonfuls of washing soda into a quart of boiling water and 
set on the fire. When this bofls, pour it into the ice compart- 
ment ; follow this with a kettleful of boiling water, and wipe 
dry. Now wash the other parts of the refrigerator with hot 
soap-suds, and wipe perfectly dry. Be careful to get the 
doors and ledges clean and dry. Leave the refrigerator 
open for an hour, and then return the ice and food to it. 

3 



34 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Plan this work for a day when the iceman is due. The 
work should be done immediately after breakfast, so that 
the refrigerator shall be ready when the ice comes. 

Should you, after this care, still have trouble, do not use 
the refrigerator. It will be far better to get along without the 
comfort it affords than to endanger health and life by using 
a contaminated article. Food never should be put in a 
refrigerator while warm, because it absorbs the flavors of 
other food and also heats the refrigerator. 

Getting the Greatest Good out of Lamps. 

In these days, when lamps are used so much, the care of 
them is quite an important matter. If the lamps be good 
and have proper attention, one cannot wish for a more satis- 
factory light ; but if badly cared for, they will be a source of 
much discomfort. The great secret of having lamps in good 
working order is to keep them clean and to use good oil. 
Have a regular place and time for trimming the lamps. 
Put a folded newspaper on the table, so that any stray bits 
of burned wick and drops of oil may fall upon it. Wash 
and wipe the chimneys and shades. Now take off all loose 
parts of the burner, washing them in hot soap-suds and 
wiping them with a clean soft cloth. Trim the wicks and 
turn them quite low. With a soft, wet cloth, well soaped, 
wipe the burner thoroughly, working the cloth as much as 
possible inside the burner, to get off every particle of the 
charred wick. Now fill the lamps within about one inch 
of the top, and wipe with a damp towel and then a dry one. 
Adjust all the parts and return them to their proper places. 

Whenever a new wick is required in a lamp, wash and 
scald the burner before putting in the wick. With a stu- 
dent lamp, the receptacle for waste oil, which is screwed on 
the bottom of the burner, should be taken off at least once 
a week and washed. Sometimes a wick will get very dark 
and dirty before it is half consumed. It is not economy to 



SOME THINGS TO BE LEARNED EARLY. 35 

try to burn it ; replace it with a fresh one. The trouble and 
expense are sUght, and the increase in clearness and bril- 
liancy will repay the extra care. When a lamp is Hghted, 
it should not at once be turned up to the full height ; wait 
until the chimney is heated. Beautiful shades are often 
cracked or broken by having the hot chimneys rest against 
them. Now, when lighting a lamp be careful that the chim- 
ney is set perfectly straight, and does not touch the shade 
at any point. The shade should be put in place as soon as 
the lamp is lighted, that it may heat gradually. 

Take Good Care of the Plumbing. 

The care of the plumbing is an important duty; yet, 
provided there be nothing wrong about the plumbing at 
the start, and the supply of water be constant and generous, 
this duty will not be found a hard one. The housekeeper 
should impress upon the younger members of her family 
the importance of thoroughly flushing the water-closets. 
She should at least once a day personally see to it that 
there is sufficient flushing. The best time for this is after 
the morning work is done. 

The laundry tubs should be thoroughly rinsed after wash- 
ing. Be free with the water, that no trace of suds shall 
be left in the pipes- 
After the midday work is done, and again at night, the 
pipe in the kitchen sink should be thoroughly flushed with 
hot water, if possible. In case there be no hot water, be 
generous with the cold. Once a week put half a pint of 
washing soda in an old saucepan, and add six quarts of 
hot water. Place on the fire until the soda is all dissolved ; 
then pour the water into the pipes, reserving two quarts of 
it for the kitchen sink. 

Have an old funnel to use in the bath-tub and basins, 
that the hot soda shall not touch any of the metal save that 
in the pipes. 



36 ^ MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Particles of grease sometimes lodge in the sink-pipe and 
cause an unpleasant odor. The hot soda dissolves this 
grease and carries it away. 

Copperas will remove odors from drain-pipes. Put one 
pound of the crystals in a quart bottle and fill up with cold 
water. Cork tightly and label, writing " Poison " on the 
label. Pour a little of this into the pipes whenever there 
is any odor. 

If thorough flushing and an occasional use of the hot 
soda will not keep the pipes sweet, there is something 
wrong with the plumbing, and it should be attended to at 
once. 

It seems as if one need not caution people in regard to 
throwing into either water-closet or basin anything that 
may clog the pipes, but it is because of ignorance or care- 
lessness on the part of the people who use these con- 
veniences that much of the trouble with the pipes arises. 
Here are some of the things that should never have a 
chance to get into the pipes : hair, lint, pieces of rags, no 
matter how small ; matches, fruit peelings, etc. 

If for any reason there should be a bad odor from the 
drain, two tablespoonfuls of carboUc acid, mixed with a 
cupful of cold water and poured into the pipes, will prove 
a good disinfectant. A small bottle of carbolic acid, 
plainly labelled, always should be kept in the house, out 
of the reach of the children. 

About the Bath-room. 

The bath-room should have special attention daily, and 
once a week a thorough cleaning. A woollen carpet is not 
desirable for this room. The floor may be of tiles, or of 
hard wood, stained or painted, or be covered with lignum 
or oil-cloth. Of course, there must be a rug or two. The 
Japanese cotton rug is cheap and pretty for this purpose ; 
or, one can make rugs from pieces of carpet. 



SOME THINGS TO BE LEARNED EARLY. IJ 

Not only should the wash-basin be washed clean and the 
bowl in the water-closet washed every day, but, if the bath- 
tub has been used, this too should be washed and carefully 
wiped dry. Dust the room, and hang the soiled towels 
where they will dry before being put in the hamper pro- 
vided for such things. 

Once a week give the room a thorough cleaning. Wash 
the toilet articles. Wash all the marble with soap and 
water, and if there be any spots that are not easily removed, 
put a little sand soap on the wash-cloth and rub the spot 
well The bowl in the water-closet should have a good 
scrubbing with sand soap. Rub the bath-tub with whiting, 
wet with household ammonia, and then wash it with plenty 
of hot water and wipe dry. 

Never use for the bath-tub sand soap, or any substance 
that would scratch, unless it be an enamel tub, in which 
case no harm will be done. Clean the faucets with whit- 
ing. Take a long- handled boot-buttoner and draw from 
the waste-pipes all the bits of lint that have gathered there. 
Dust the room and wash the floor, wiping very dry. Now 
lay down the rugs, which already should have been well 
beaten and aired. 

Do not Neglect the Garbage Barrel. 

The garbage barrel or tub should be thoroughly washed 
once a week. In summer, after the barrel has been cleaned, 
sprinkle into it one teaspoonful of carbolic acid mixed with 
half a cupful of cold water. This will keep the barrel free 
from offensive odors even in the hottest weather. 



38 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER, 



WASHING DISHES. 

Sort the dishes and scrape them free from fragments. 
Have two pans, one for washing and the other for rinsing. 
Have also a large tray on which to drain the dishes. Wash 
the glassware first- 
Proper Care of Glassware. 

It must be remembered that even a scratch on the sur- 
face of a piece of glass often will cause it to break at that 
point under the slightest shock ; therefore, it is essential that 
it shall not come in contact with a sharp, hard substance. 
A grain of sand on the bottom of the dishpan, or on the 
cloth with which the article is washed or wiped, may be 
the means of breaking a valuable dish. When possible, a 
wooden or paper tub should be used in washing glass. A 
soft silver-brush, soft cloths for washing, and soft linen 
towels for wiping, also are necessary. Have the water cool 
enough to bear the hand in comfortably. Make a strong 
suds with hard soap. The second dish of water should be 
of the same temperature. Wash each piece carefully, rub- 
bing with the soft cloth ; then put in the rinsing water. 
When four or five pieces have been washed, spread a coarse 
towel on an old tray, and place the glass on this to drain. 
Wipe the hands dry, and then wipe the pieces of glass with 
a perfectly clean, dry towel. Rub gently, to polish. Hold 
the glass up to the light, to see if it is perfectly clear, then 
place on a clean tray. Always keep the towel between the 
hands and the glass, and as soon as the towel becomes 
damp change it for a dry one. The glass should not drain 
long enough to become cold ; for this reason it is best to 
wash only a few pieces at a time. If the glass be cut, or an 
imitation of cut, use the soft silver-brush to cleanse all the 
grooves. As it is almost impossible to get the deeply cut 



SOME THINGS TO BE LEARNED EARLY. 39 

glass perfectly dry, it should not be placed at once on a 
polished-wood surface. It is a good plan to have a soft 
cloth on which to place cut pieces for ten or fifteen minutes 
after they have been wiped. Glass that is ornamented with 
gold must be treated with great care, to prevent the orna- 
mentation from wearing off. Use only castile soap, and do 
not have the suds strong. Wash one piece at a time, and 
wipe immediately. 

It will be seen by the foregoing that the care of glass can 
be summed up in a few words : wash in clean warm suds 
and wipe perfectly dry, using clean dry linen towels ; be 
careful not to scratch nor hit a piece of glass, and do not 
expose the surface to sudden heat or cold. 

Other Dishes and Utensils. 

After the glass the silver should be washed and wiped. 
Next wash the china in hot suds, and then rinse in the 
second pan of hot water. Drain on the tray, and wipe 
while yet warm. The kitchen crockery should follow the 
china, then the tins, and finally the iron cooking dishes. 
Change the dish-water often, having the first water very 
soapy and the rinsing water hot. Be as careful to have 
clean water and clean dry towels for the pots and kettles as 
for the china, and wash in the same way as a piece of china, 
having the outside as clean as the inside. Some kind of 
sand soap or mineral soap is necessary to keep the tins, 
granite-ware, and iron saucepans perfectly clean and bright. 
After wiping such utensils with a dry towel, place them on 
the hearth, to become perfectly dry, as they rust easily and 
quickly. 

Now rub the steel knives with either Bristol brick, wood 
ashes, or sand soap. Wash them, and wipe perfectly dry. 
Next wash the tray, the rinsing pan, the table, and the sink. 
Finally wash the dish-towels, and then the dishpans. 



40 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Some Special Cautions. 

Pitchers, bowls, pans, and other utensils used for milk, 
should have cold water stand in them for half an hour or 
so, then be washed in plenty of clean soapy water. After 
this they should be scalded with boiling water, wiped dry, 
and placed in the sun and open air, if possible, for several 
hours. 

Teapots, coffee-pots, chocolate-pots, and the like, should 
be washed in hot soapy w^ater and be rinsed in boiling water. 
Use a wooden skewer to remove every particle of sediment 
that may lodge in the spouts or creases of the pots. Wipe 
perfectly dry, and expose to the sun and air, if possible, for 
an hour or more. 

Pans in which fish or onions have been cooked, should 
be washed and scalded ; then they should be filled with 
water, in which should be put a teaspoonful of soda for 
every two quarts of water. Place them on top of the stove 
for half an hour or more. This will insure the removal of 
the flavor of fish or onions. 

Care of Silver. 

Silver that is properly washed and wiped every day will 
require very little extra cleaning. Remove it from the table 
on a tray and then put it into a wide-mouthed kitchen pitcher 
containing warm water. When ready to wash it, have a pan 
of hot soap-suds and a clean soft dish-cloth. Put all the 
silver, except the knives, into the suds, and wash a few 
pieces at a time, rubbing well with the cloth. Wipe the 
silver, while it is still warm, with a fine soft silver-towel, 
rubbing it until perfectly dry and bright. Always keep the 
towel between the hands and the silver. As fast as a piece 
is finished lay it on the tray, and when all the work is done 
wipe the hands perfectly dry, and then put the silver away. 

Should there be any tarnish on any of the pieces, rub with 



SOME THINGS TO BE LEARNED EARLY. 4 1 

a little wet whiting and a piece of chamois skin. Wash 
again in the hot suds, and wipe. 

When the silver is to have a regular cleaning, put it in 
a pan of hot suds and wash well. Spread several thick- 
nesses of paper on the table. Have at hand a saucer of 
French whiting, finely powdered and sifted. Wet a little 
of this with water, unless the silver is very much tarnished, 
in which case use half water and half alcohol ; or, instead 
of the alcohol, half household ammonia. Rub the article 
with this and then with dry whiting and a chamois skin, 
finally using a soft silver-brush to clean out all the chasing 
and creases. When all the silver has been cleaned in this 
manner, wash it in clean hot suds, wipe on a towel kept for 
silver, and put away. 

Do not put silver in woollen bags, as the sulphur in this 
cloth tarnishes the metal. Rubber should not be placed 
near silver. 

Only substances which are well known have been suggested 
for the cleaning of the various articles of silver. There are 
preparations in the market which many housekeepers use 
because they consider them harmless, and great savers of 
labor. Each one will decide for herself in these matters. 

Do not Slight the Knife Blades. 

In nearly all cases the blade of the knife requires different 
treatment from the handle. If it be of unplated steel it must 
be thoroughly polished every time it is used. If it be of 
silver, or be silver-plated, a careful washing with soap and 
water, and a thorough drying, will be all the daily care that 
is required, — a thorough cleaning about once a week suf- 
ficing to keep the blade perfectly clean. There should 
be a knife-board for the steel knives. Boards covered with 
leather that come for this purpose may be purchased at 
any first-class kitchen furnishing store. 

To clean the knives have at hand a pan of clean, soapy 



42 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

water and a soft cloth. Hold the knives in the left hand 
and wash the blades with the cloth, only wiping the handles 
with the wet cloth, unless they be silver, in which case wash 
them thoroughly with the soap-suds and cloth. Sprinkle the 
board with some knife-polish. Hold the blade flat on the 
board and rub back and forth until it is polished. If the 
stain be hard to remove, dip a cork in the strong soap-suds, 
then in the polishing powder, and, laying the blade of the 
knife perfectly flat on the board, rub with the cork until the 
stain disappears. Now wipe the polish off with a soft cloth 
and rub the blade with a piece of chamois skin. The handles 
of the knives should be protected whfle the blades are being 
polished. Have a long, narrow bag of Canton flannel to 
slip over the handle while the blade is being rubbed. 

Rust and Other Annoyances. 

If it should happen that the steel of knives or forks 
becomes rusted, dip them in sweet oil and let them stand for 
twenty-four hours, then rub them with powdered quicklime, 
and the stain will be removed. If the handles of the knives 
be ivory, and they become stained, rub them with whiting 
and spirits of turpentine. This will remove all ordinary 
stains. Still, the appearance of the ivory will be greatly 
improved by a vigorous rubbing with the whiting and tur- 
pentine. Frequent wettings with hot water and soap will 
dull the mother-of-pearl handles, which should be wiped 
with a damp cloth and rubbed dry with a soft towel. Silver 
handles should be rubbed frequently with whiting. Cellu- 
loid, ivorine, bone, etc., require the same general treatment 
as ivory and pearl. The handles of knives, no matter what 
the material, should never be allowed to stand in water. 
The water, particularly if it be hot, loosens the handles from 
the tang, and also duUs them. A tin or granite-ware pail or 
pitcher should be kept exclusively for knives. When used, 
it should have some water in it, but not enough to come up 



SOME THINGS TO BE LEARNED EARLY. 43 

to the handle of the knife. As soon as the table is cleared 
the knives should be put in this, to remain until the time 
for washing them. 

If you have no regular case for the knives, they may be 
kept in one made of Canton flannel. To make this take a 
piece of flannel about three quarters of a yard wide and cut 
off twenty-one inches. Fold over eleven and a half inches 
of the selvage end, leaving a single thickness of about four 
inches at the other end. Baste the doubled part together ; 
then stitch it into twelve compartments. Bind the bag with 
tape, and sew tapes on the single flap at the centre. Of 
course, the flannel is on the inside. When steel' cutlery is 
to be put away for any length of time, melt pure mutton suet, 
and dip the steel part of the knives and forks in it. When 
cool, wrap in tissue paper, and then in thicker paper or 
Canton flannel. 



CHAPTER V. 

WORK ON WASHING DAY. 

ON washing day arrange the white clothes in this man- 
ner : Half fill two tubs with warm suds. Put in one 
tub the pieces soiled the most ; put the remainder of the 
articles in the second tub. Have a third tub half full of 
warm water and the wash boiler half full of cold water. 
Wash the cleaner clothes first, rubbing soap on the parts 
which are soiled the most. Wring from this water and drop 
into the tub of clean warm water. When all are done, rinse 
the clothes well in the warm water ; then wring out and soap 
the parts that were badly soiled. Put these same pieces in 
the boiler of cold water and set on the fire. Let the water 
get almost boiling hot ; then take up the clothes and put 
them in a tubful of cold water. Rinse them from this into 
another of warm water and from this into a third of bluing 
water. Wring them as dry as possible ; then shake them 
out and hang on the lines. They should become per- 
fectly dry before they are folded. All the white clothing 
should be washed in this manner. The second tubful can, 
of course, be rubbed out and rinsed while the first is being 
scalded. If clothes be not thoroughly rinsed and bluing be 
used, the soap will combine with the bluing to give a yellow 
tinge to the clothing. This is especially the case when liquid 
bluing is used. A thorough rinsing is really one of the most 
important steps in all the work. 

Satines, Ginghams, and Prints. 

These kinds of goods look better when no soap is used 
and they are not starched in the usual way. For two 



WORK ON WASHING DAY. 45 

dresses make one gallon of starch by mixing one cupful of 
flour with one pint of cold water. Pour on this three quarts 
and a half of boiling water. Pour half of this mixture into 
a tub containing four gallons of warm water. Wash one of 
the dresses in this, rubbing the fabric the same as if soap 
were used. Now rinse in two clean waters and hang out to 
dry. The starch cleans the fabric, and enough is held in 
the cloth to make it about as stiff as when new. Wash the 
second dress in the same way. This method is not for light 
cambrics, but only for satines, ginghams, and dark prints. 

If the colors run, put half a cupful of salt in the second 
rinsing water. If the color of the fabric be blue and faded, 
put two tablespoonfuls of acetic acid, or twice as much vine- 
gar, into the last rinsing water. This will often restore the 
color, but not always, as it depends upon the chemicals used 
in the dyeing. The acid can be used in the last water in 
which faded blue flannels are rinsed. Colored goods should 
be dried thoroughly and dampened only a few hours before 
you are ready to iron them. They should be ironed on the 
wrong side. 

How Flannels should be Washed. 

Have a tub half full of strong soap suds, in which has 
been dissolved a tablespoonful of borax. Shake all the 
dust and lint from the flannels, and then put them into the 
suds. Wash them by rubbing with the hands and sopping 
them up and down in the water. Wring them out of this 
water and put them into a tub of clean hot water. Rinse 
thoroughly in this water, then in a second tubful. Wring 
dry, shake well, and hang on the lines. When nearly dry, 
take them in and fold, rolhng them very tightly. Wrap 
a clean cloth around them, and, if possible, iron the same 
day. Do not have the irons very hot, but press the flannels 
well. Have clean suds for the colored flannels. To pre- 
vent shrinking, the temperature of the water should be the 
same in all the tubs. 



46 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Never use yellow soap for washing flannel, and never rub 
any other kind of soap upon the cloth. 

To wash blankets, make strong suds with some white 
soap. To every three gallons of water add a tablespoonful 
of powdered borax. Have the suds as hot as the hands will 
bear comfortably. Shake the blankets, and, if the bindings 
be of colored silk, rip them off. Put the blankets in the hot 
suds and sop them up and down until the suds show that 
the dirt has been removed. If there be any stains on the 
blankets, rub the spots well between the hands, but remem- 
ber the caution not to rub soap on such goods. Have a tub 
half full of clear water as hot as the suds. After squeezing 
the suds from the blankets, put them in the rinsing water. 
Sop them well in this, and then squeeze out the water; 
finally rinse in a tub of bluing water, having the temper- 
ature still as hot as the suds. Press all the water possible 
from the blankets and hang them on the lines to dry, shak- 
ing out all the wrinkles. When dry, fold smoothly and lay 
on a clean board. Put another board on top, and on this 
place some heavy weights. In a day or two the blankets 
will be pressed. 

Wash only two blankets at a time, and select a clear day 
for this work, — a windy day, if possible. 

The Right Way to "Wash Silk Undergarments. 

To three gallons of warm water add three table spoonfuls 
of household ammonia. Let the silk garments soak in this 
for twenty minutes ; then rub soap on the parts which are 
the most badly soiled, and wash the articles with the hands. 
Never rub them on a board. Rinse in two waters, wring 
dry, and hang on the hne. When nearly dry, take in and 
fold, and, if possible, iron within a few hours. Never let 
an iron come in contact with the silk ; lay a piece of cloth 
over the fabric, and iron on that. 

The ammonia may be omitted, and the silk garments be 



WORK ON WASHING DAY. 47 

washed in strong suds made with white castile soap and 
warm water. 

How to Launder Washable Curtains. 

There are many inexpensive cotton or cotton and silk 
fabrics used for curtains which launder very well if treated 
properly. Shake out all the dust. Make weak suds with 
white castile soap. Wash the curtains in this, and rinse 
them in two waters ; then wring dry. Next dip them in a 
preparation made as follows : Soak half an ounce of isin- 
glass in one quart of cold water for an hour or more. Steep 
one ounce of saffron on the fire in two quarts of hot water 
for two hours. Stir the soaked isinglass and half an ounce 
of alum into this, and then strain into a bowl. Put one 
fourth of this mixture into another large bowl, and dip one 
curtain into it, sopping it well, that the color and stiffening 
may be equally distributed. Shake out and hang on the 
line to dry. 

When the curtains are dry, sprinkle them, making them 
very damp. Draw out evenly ; then fold, and roll up in a 
cloth ; finally iron them, being careful to move the iron 
lengthwise of the curtain, and to get the fabric very dry. 

The alum and saffron may be omitted, and the stiffening 
be used for washable dresses or thin muslin curtains. 

Cleaning Lace Curtains. 

Lace curtains will not bear rubbing. All the work must 
be done carefully and gently. For two pairs of curtains half 
fill a large tub with warm water, and add to it half a pound 
of soap, which has been shaved fine and dissolved in two 
quarts of boiling water ; add also about a gill of household 
ammonia. Let the curtains soak in this over night. In the 
morning sop them well in the water, and squeeze it all out ; 
but do not wring the curtains. Put them into another tub 
of water, prepared with soap and ammonia, as on the night 



48 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

before ; sop them gently in this water, and then, after 
squeezing out the water, put them in a tub of clean warm 
water. Continue to rinse them in fresh tubs of water until 
there is no trace of soap ; next, rinse them in water con- 
taining bluing. After pressing out all the water possible, 
spread the curtains over sheets on the grass ; or, if you have 
no grass, put them on the clothes-line. When they are dry, 
dip them in hot thick starch, and fasten them in the frame 
that comes for this purpose. If you have no frame, fasten a 
sheet on a mattress, and spread the curtains on this, pinning 
them in such a manner that they shall be perfectly smooth 
and have all the pattern of the border brought out. Place 
in the sun to dry. If it be desired to have the curtains 
a light ecru shade, rinse them in weak coffee ; and if you 
want a dark shade, use strong coffee. 

If the curtains be dried on a mattress they must be folded 
smoothly, the size of the mattress. Lace curtains can be 
spread two or three thicknesses in the frame. 

Points on Starching and Ironing. 

In making and using starch have all the utensils and the 
water perfectly clean. Mix the dry starch with cold water 
enough to make a thin paste. Pour on this the required 
amount of boiling water, stirring all the while. To each 
quart of starch add a teaspoonful each of salt and lard. Boil 
the starch until it looks clear, which will be in about ten 
minutes. Strain it through a piece of cheese-cloth (it will 
have to be squeezed through the cloth). White articles 
should be dipped into the hot starch, but have it cooled 
a little for colored articles. For collars, cuffs, shirts, etc., 
have the starch very thick ; for white skirts it should be 
rather thin ; for dresses, aprons, and children's clothing also, 
the starch must be thin, and for table linen only the thinnest 
kind imaginable should be used. 

Always have starched clothes thoroughly dried ; then 



WORK ON WASHING DAY. 49 

Sprinkle evenly with enough cold water to make them very 
damp. Fold smoothly and roll up in a clean cloth for 
several hours. In ironing, begin with the plain pieces, like 
the sheets and pillow cases. This will get the irons in con- 
dition for the starched clothes, which should be done next ; 
and after these finish the plain pieces. Have the ironing 
blanket and sheet spread smoothly on the table and tacked 
in place, and have some fine salt spread on a board. Tie a 
large piece of beeswax in a cloth, and after rubbing the hot 
iron on the salt, rub the beeswax over it. Finally wipe the 
iron on a clean cloth. This process will make the iron 
clean and smooth. Starched clothes must be made very 
damp ; other articles should be dampened only slightly. 
Starched clothes must be ironed until perfectly dry. In 
ironing, do the rubbing lengthways when possible, — that 
is, with the selvage. 

A Rule for Making Hard Soap. 



18 pounds of clarified grease. 
3 tablespoonfuls of powdered 
borax. 



3 pounds of potash. 

4 quarts of cold water. 



Put the fat on the back part of the range, where it will 
melt slowly. The potash is put into a large earthen or 
stone bowl or jar. Upon this is poured three quarts of 
cold water, and three tablespoonfuls of powdered borax is 
added. This mixture is stirred with a wooden stick until 
the potash is dissolved ; then it stands until cold. 

When the fat is melted pour it into a butter tub. It must 
not be hot when the potash is added ; should it be, it must 
stand until so cool that it will hardly run when poured. 
When the potash mixture is perfectly cold pour it in a thin 
stream into the fat, stirring all the while. When all has 
been added, continue stirring for about ten minutes, when 
the soap should begin to look thick and ropy. At this stage 
pour it into a box, having it about three or four inches deep. 

4 



50 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Let it stand a few hours ; then cut it into bars, and the bars 
into pieces of a convenient length for handhng. It will 
still be soft, and should not be removed from the box for 
at least two days. It will be hard and white. 

If you attempt to combine the fat and potash mixture 
while the latter is at all warm it will take a long time to 
make the soap, and the result will not be so satisfactory. 
It is well to put paper under the soap tub and the bowl in 
which the potash is prepared. Remember that potash is 
very strong, and do not spatter it on yourself or on the floor. 

This is a hard soap, — a most desirable quality. 

Borax Soap. 

2 pounds of good white soap. 

3 ounces of borax. 
2 quarts of water. 

Shave the soap and put it in a porcelain kettle with the 
water and borax. Place on the fire, and stir frequently until 
the soap and borax are dissolved and combined. Pour the 
hot mixture into a clean butter tub, and when cold, cover. 
This soap is excellent for washing flannels, blankets, etc. 

Soft Soap. 

It is best to make the soap a few weeks before you wish 
to use it, as it is rather hard on the hands when new. 
Here is a good rule for making the soap without heating 
the grease : — 

Put fourteen pounds of crude — not concentrated — pot- 
ash in a wooden pail and pour over it enough boiling water 
to cover it. Stir well, and let the mixture stand over night. 
In the morning pour this mixture into a large kettle and 
place on the fire. Now add another pail of boihng water, 
and stir frequently with a stick until all the potash is dis- 
solved. Next put ten quarts of soap grease in a water-tight 
barrel and gradually pour in the hot potash. Stir until all 



WORK ON WASHING DAY. 5 1 

the grease is united with the potash. Let this stand for 
three hours ; then add a pailful of hot water and stir well. 
Add another pailful three hours later. After this add a 
pailful each day for the next six days, stirring well with 
a long stick each time. The soap should be stirred every 
day for the next three weeks, when it will be ready for use. 
Be sure the potash is pure. 



CHAPTER VI. 
IN THE DINING-ROOM. 

ONE'S dining-room should be large enough to enable a 
person to pass around the table comfortably when 
the family or guests are all seated. It should also be light 
and sunny, and easily heated and ventilated. The most 
essential pieces of furniture are a table of generous width, 
capable of being enlarged, comfortable chairs, and a side- 
board. After that, if the room be large enough and the 
purse will admit of the purchase of a cabinet or two, with 
glass fronts and sides, so much the better. In these there 
can be kept dainty bits of china and glassware. These 
cabinets will brighten a dining-room more than anything 
else you can put into it, possibly excepting pictures. If 
there be no room for a cabinet, a corner cupboard and some 
hanging shelves will be a great addition. Pictures that sug- 
gest pleasant things are, of course, always desirable. A few 
thrifty ferns, flowering plants, or evergreens add a great deal 
to the brightness and beauty of any room, but particularly 
the dining-room. Have them there if you possibly can. 

Setting the Table. 

The table should stand in the middle of the room. Cover 
it with a thick felt or a double-faced Canton flannel cloth. 
Over this spread the white damask cloth, having the centre 
fold come exactly in the centre of the table. Pass the hand 
over the cloth to make it lie smooth. If there be a centre- 
piece, carving, or tray cloths, or table mats, have them lie 



IN THE DINING-ROOM. 53 

perfectly straight and smooth on the cloth. At each seat 
place on the right the knives, spoons, and glasses ; on the 
left, the forks and napkins. Have the edge of the knife to- 
ward the plate. Lay the forks with the tines up, and the 
spoons with the bowls up. Have the spacing between the 
seats regular, and the space between the knife and fork about 
seven inches. Set the glasses at the points of the knives. If 
individual salt-cellars and pepper bottles be used, they are 
to be placed at the head of the plates ; otherwise, place the 
cellars and bottles at the corners of the table. The table- 
spoons may be placed at the corners of the table, or near 
the dishes where they will be required in serving. In the 
centre of the table there may be set a dish of flowers or fruit. 
These general directions apply to the setting of the table 
for any meal. Nearly all housekeepers have their own ideas 
about the arrangement of the table, thus securing variety 
and individuality. 

Refinement not Exclusively for the Rich. 

The incomes and style of living in this country have such 
a wide range that it would be impossible to give here direc- 
tions for the table service which would meet the wants of 
all classes. The woman of limited means who does her 
own work could not serve her meals the same as one who 
keeps one or more servants. As far as possible she will so 
arrange her meals that it shall not be necessary to rise from 
the table more than once or twice. Indeed, it is possible 
to have everything on the table for breakfast, tea, or 
luncheon, but at dinner time the meat, vegetables, and 
soiled plates should be removed before the dessert is put 
on. No woman, no matter how simply she lives, should get 
into a sKpshod way of serving her meals. The table can be 
made, and should be, a means of refinement and pleasure. 
Do not have it ceremonious, yet strive for neatness, bright- 
ness, and order. No one has a right to mar the socia- 



54 MISS PARLOA S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

bility of a meal by bringing a gloomy countenance or dis- 
agreeable subject to the table. When the housekeeper has 
done all she can to make the meal suitable and appetizing, 
each member of the family should do his or her share to 
bring life and sunshine into the conversation = 

The directions which follow may, it is hoped, be helpful 
in some degree to the young housekeeper, no matter what 
her manner of living may be. It is easy to omit all but 
one or two courses, thus making the table arrangement and 
service simple ; but the general principles may be observed 
just the same. 

At the Breakfast Table. 

Breakfast being the plainest meal of the day, the arrange- 
ment of the table should always be simple. The cloth 
should be spotless. At each person's seat place a knife, 
fork, teaspoon or dessert spoon, tumbler, and napkin, and 
if fresh fruit is to be served, a finger bowl, if there be no 
servant. If you have a waitress, she will place the finger 
bowls on as you finish with the fruit. If fresh fruit be 
served, there must also be placed at each seat a fruit knife 
and plate. Have the dish of. fruit in the centre of the 
table. Have a tray cloth at each end of the table. Place 
a little butter plate near the top of each plate. Put four 
tablespoons on the table, either in two corners, or beside the 
dishes where they will be used in serving. Put the carving 
knife and fork at the head of the table, and the cups and 
saucers, sugar and cream, coffee-pot, hot-water bowl, and 
the mush dishes at the other end. 

The mistress of the house serves the mush, and when the 
fruit and this course have been served, the dishes are re- 
moved and the hot plates and other food brought in ; the 
head of the house serving the hot meats, etc., while the 
mistress pours the coffee. It sometimes happens that a 
man of business lacks time to serve breakfast, in which case 



IN THE DINING-ROOM. 55 

the mistress of the house attends to that duty. If there be 
a waitress, she passes the plates when they are ready ; also 
the breadj butter, and coffee. The hostess usually puts the 
sugar and cream in the coffee, first asking each one if he 
will have these additions. After all have been served, it is 
quite common to dismiss the waitress, ringing for her if her 
services be again required. When there is but one servant, 
the family help each other after the breakfast has been 
placed upon the table. Fresh water is good for most peo- 
ple, and each person should be served with a tumblerful on 
taking a seat at the table. If there be hot cakes or waffles, 
they should come after the meats, and there should be a 
fresh set of warm plates, as well as of knives and forks. 

The Dinner Table. 

The silver required depends upon the number of courses 
to be served, but a few suggestions may help one to decide 
what is proper for her own table. The silver for all the 
courses except the dessert may be put on the table when 
It is set, or it may be placed there by the waitress as needed 
for each course. Dinner plates are placed on the table 
or not, when it is set, as one pleases. The silver needed 
for an ordinary course dinner would be a small fork for raw 
oysters, tablespoon for soup, fork for fish, knife and fork for 
meat, and fork for salad ; carving knife and fork at the head 
of the table, soup ladle at the head of the mistress's plate, 
and, if the dinner be served from the table, spoons for 
serving. 

In the centre of the table set rather a low dish contain- 
ing flowers or ferns. On each side of it place some small 
dishes of pretty design for olives, salted almonds, confec- 
tionery, and such things ; or these small dishes may be set 
in the corners of the table. If the dinner is to be served 
on the table, the small dishes should be put in the corners ; 
but if it is to be served from the sideboard, such dishes 



56 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

may be placed wherever they look best and are most con- 
venient. Lay the tablespoons in pairs ; in the corners, of 
course, if the dinner is to be served on the table. In the 
fold of each napkin lay a small square of bread or a small 
roll. The fruit and dishes for the dessert may be disposed 
on the sideboard. All the dishes for a handsome dinner 
service may be of one pattern, or for each course a different 
kind of china may be used. For the olives, almonds, etc., 
It is desirable to have bits of cut glass, or pretty little china 
dishes. Such wares are used much more than silver. The 
dishes on which fish, meats, and entrees are served may be 
round, oval, square, plain white, or richly colored Chinese or 
Japanese ware. The plates for the several courses are, of 
course, carefully to be kept hot or cold, as each course may 
require, until serving time. After-dinner coffee cups, when 
all are of different patterns, give a remarkably pretty effect. 
Indeed, there is so much that is beautiful in table-ware 
nowadays that one can have a handsome service with 
means either large or limited. 

Luncheon and Tea. 

Family luncheons and teas are rarely served in courses. 
Tea, cocoa, or chocolate is, as a rule, served at these meals, 
so that the table is set in practically the same manner as 
for breakfast ; but the plates are placed for each person, 
and unless there be meat to carve, the carving knife and 
fork are not put on. The bread, butter, cake, preserves, 
etc., are placed on the table when it is set. If hot meats, 
vegetables, soup, or cakes be served, the cold plates must 
be changed for hot ones. When meats, vegetables, or sal- 
ads have been served at these meals, the plates should be 
changed before the cake and preserves are passed. 

For luncheon, such dishes as these are suitable : eggs in 
any form, soups, salads, cold meats, with baked or warmed 
up potatoes, any kind of broiled meat or fish, any simple 



IN THE DINING-ROOM. 57 

made dish, fresh fruit, stewed fruit, preserves, cake, ginger- 
bread, etc. 

Any dish (except soup and fresh fruit) that you serve for 
luncheons will be suitable for tea. 



Duties of the Waitress. 

Although every housekeeper may have some methods 
peculiarly her own in the matter of waiting upon the table, 
still there are some customs that are almost universal in 
refined households. 

If the water has not already been poured, the waitress 
pours it as soon as the guests sit down at the table. If 
there be raw oysters, they should be served first. Usually 
they are arranged on the plates, and placed at each person's 
seat before the guests come in. 

When the oyster plates have been removed, the soup 
tureen and hot soup plates are placed before the hostess. 
The waitress lifts the cover off the tureen, inverting it at 
once, that no drops of steam shall fall from it, and carries 
it from the room. The hostess puts a ladleful of soup into 
each plate and hands it to the waitress, who places it before 
the guests, going in every case to the right hand side. 
Some hostesses always serve the ladies first, while others 
serve the guests in rotation. 

The meat is set before the host, the vegetables being 
placed before the hostess or on the sideboard, as one 
chooses. The waitress passes each plate as the host hands 
it to her. She then passes vegetables, bread, sauce, etc. 

The salad is to be served by the hostess. After that the 
table is brushed and the dessert is brought in and placed 
before the hostess. The coffee follows. If fruit be served, 
it is passed before the coffee. 

Finger bowls are brought in after the made dessert has 
been served. A dainty doily is spread on a dessert plate 
and the finger bowl placed on this. The bowl should be 



58 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

about one quarter full of water. Each guest lifts the bowl 
and doily from the plate and places them at the left hand 
side. The doily is never to be used to wipe the fingers. 

A good waitress will not pile one dish upon another when 
removing them from the table. She should be provided 
with a tray for all the smaller dishes, and should remove the 
plates one or two at a time. 

All dishes from which people help themselves, such as 
vegetables, bread, butter, etc., should be passed at the left ; 
those that are set before people, such as soup plates, clean 
plates, water glasses, finger bowls, etc., should be passed 
at the right. 

Serving Meals without a Servant. 

A housekeeper who keeps no servant is often puzzled as 
to how to serve dessert, how to serve the other dishes at 
dinner, whether the plates should be distributed on the 
table or placed beside the carver, and so forth. 

The conditions are so different in different families that 
no arbitrary rules can be given for these things, but here 
are a few suggestions which may be helpful. Have every- 
thing ready in the kitchen to put on the table without 
delay, and place the dishes where they will keep hot until 
wanted. Eggs in any form must, of course, be served as 
soon as cooked ; therefore they must be timed very care- 
fully. The mush should be put on the table at the house- 
keeper's own place, and served in saucers or little dishes 
that come for that purpose. Any one who does not eat 
mush or fruit may decline it, and wait for the next course. 
After the mush has been served, remove the dishes, and 
place the rest of the breakfast on the table. The plates 
should be hot, and be piled before or at one side of the 
carver. While he is serving, pour the coffee. When there 
is another member of the family who can put the second 
course on the table, the housekeeper should be relieved 



IN THE DINING-ROOM. 59 

of this part of the work. It is hard on a woman not 
only to have to prepare the breakfast, but also to rise 
from the table, bring in the second course and serve this, 
as she often must, since, as a rule, men are in a hurry in 
the morning and cannot assist their wives in serving the 
breakfast. 



CHAPTER VII. 
BUYING FOOD AND CARING FOR IT. 

Going to Market. 

WHEN a housekeeper understands just what to do, and 
can spend the time to go to the market herself, she 
will find that she can have a better table, with greater variety 
and at less expense, than when she orders from the provision 
man who comes to the house each day. It is true that there 
are a great many housekeepers who have neither time nor 
strength for daily or even weekly visits to the markets, but 
the average housekeeper has the time, and she 'will find that 
in the end it will add to her mental and physical health, as 
well as to the attractiveness of her table. 

In ordering at the house it is a difficult matter to keep in 
mind all the things that the provision man briskly calls off. 
Even if he should not miss many little things that one might 
choose for the sake of economy and variety, it would be 
almost impossible to remember them all when giving him 
the order. In the market, however, the articles are spread 
out before you, and one thing suggests another. Here the 
prices can be kept in mind when selecting the food ; and 
should the thing that you have decided upon be too ex- 
pensive, something else that you will find to be nearly or 
equally good may be substituted. For example, you may 
have planned to have halibut for dinner, and found that, in- 
stead of being eighteen cents, it has gone up to twenty-five 
or thirty cents. You will naturally hesitate before adding 
fifty per cent to the expense of the dish. A cod, had- 
dock, whitefish, red-snapper, or something else of moderate 



BUYING FOOD AND CARING FOR IT. 



6l 




FIRST FIVE RIBS. 



price, will make a satisfactory substitute. Although the 
prices of beef, mutton, pork, etc. are not subject to great 
changes, the prices of fresh fish, vegetables, fruit, and game 

fluctuate constantly. 
Then again, many lit- 
tle savory dishes are 
suggested by the sight 
1^ 'mMMm^-^^nfrj^^^mm^ of the various little 

odds and ends found 
in the stalls. The 
sight and odor of a 
piece of smoked ba- 
con may give you 
visions of the many 
savory dishes to which it will give relish, — liver and bacon, 
chicken livers en brochette, and rashers of bacon with chops 
or beefsteak. 

In the market, too, perhaps you wHll see sheep's hearts, 
which when boiled make a cheap and savory breakfast, lun- 
cheon, or supper dish. Calves and lambs' tongues are both 
cheap and good. They may be kept in brine for a week or 
two and then boiled, the same as beef tongue ; or they may 
be boiled while fresh. They make an attractive dish when 
served in jelly, or 
they may be braised, 
and served with veg- 
etables a la jardi- 
niere, making an 
elegant as well as 
an economical dish. 
Sheep and lambs' 
kidneys are deli- 
cious when broiled, 
stewed, or sauted. 
They are always cheap. Perhaps you may see a piece 
of honeycomb tripe which would make a pleasing dish 




CHUCK RIBS. 



BUYING FOOD AND CARING FOR IT. 



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64 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 




FORE QUARTER OF BEEF. 



BUYING FOOD AND CARING FOR IT. 



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MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 




for breakfast. The liver of nearly all animals is used, but 

beef, calves, and pigs' livers are the most common. Sheep 

and lamb's livers are delicious. 

Perhaps you want just about two pounds of the neck of 

mutton for a broth. You see it cut off and are sure to get 

nearly what you want. 
It may be you want a 
l)ound or two of the 
lound of beef chopped 
lor a Hamburg steak or 
lor beef tea. If you 
ee it cut, you will not 
get three or four pounds 
instead of two. This is 
true of all the cuts of 

SIRLOIN ROAST, -SECOND CUT. ^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ j^ -^ ^ 

rare thing that the provision man, who takes your order 
at the house, does not bring you more than you want. In 
the fish, vegetable, and fruit market there is constant 
change, and we cannot be well supplied with the best and 
cheapest except by a personal visit to the sales place. 

If one have a large and cold room to keep stores in, and 
the family be large, it will pay to buy in quantity, provided 
the housekeeper knows what to do with the supplies when 
she gets them. 

In cold weather I often buy a hind quarter of mutton. 
To give the housekeeper an idea of what can be done 
with such a piece of meat, let me explain how I use it. 
This is for a family of three, with an average of one 
guest for one meal each day. It must be kept in mind 
that the part of the hind quarter which will spoil first is the 
flank ; next come the ribs and loin ; the leg will keep many 
weeks if hung in a cold dry place. When the piece of 
mutton is sent home, I cut off the flank and the thin end of 
the ribs, leaving the rib and loin chops quite short. Should 
I want to cook any of the chops that day or the next I cut 



BUYING FOOD AND CARING FOR IT. 



67 




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68 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

off the required number, but if I do not care to use tliem for 
several days, they are not cut off until that time. The piece 
of meat is now hung in my cold room, and cut from as 
required. The flank and thin ribs are freed from every bit 
of fat ; the lean meat is cut into cubes and placed in a stew- 
pan with four tablespoonfuls of chopped onion, a generous 
half-cupful of pearl barley, two level tablespoonfuls of salt, 
one level teaspoonful of pepper, and three quarts of cold 
water. These materials for a soup are placed on the fire 
and skimmed carefully when they begin to boil ; then the 
stewpan is set back where the contents will just bubble for 




SIRLOIN ROAST. 
A, Tenderloin. B, Back of Sirloin. C, Flank. D, Suet. 

three hours. The bones are placed in another stewpan 
with one quart of cold water. They cook for two hours and 
then the water is strained into the soup in the other stew- 
pan. When the soup has been cooking for three hours, two 
tablespoonfuls of butter are put into a small frying-pan and 
set on the fire. When this becomes hot, two tablespoonfuls 
of flour are stirred into it, and when the mixture becomes 
smooth and frothy it is added to the soup ; after which a 
tablespoonful of chopped parsley is added. The result is a 
gallon of the most dehcious Scotch broth. This soup is just 
as good when warmed over as when first made, and it is so 
substantial that it answers for luncheon, no meat, fish, or 
vegetables being required. From the remainder of the 
hind quarter I get fourteen chops, cutting the last four from 



BUYING FOOD AND CARING FOR IT. 69 

the leg, and a good roast. All the fat is rendered for soap 
grease ; and as I make my own soap, this is quite an item. 

The weight of the hind quarter described is about twenty 
pounds, and I save about one third what it would cost me 
to buy the soup meat, chops, and roast separately. One 
must have a good sharp knife, a meat-saw, and a cleaver to 
cut up meats in this manner. 

Before going to market one should look through her 
supplies, and then make a list of things for use with them. 
A list of the meals that are to be arranged, and such pur- 
chases as must be made for these meals, is next in order. 
One may find it best to make radical changes in her plans 




RIB CHOP BEFORE TRIMMING. RIB CHOP AFTER TRIMMING. 

when she gets to the market ; still, the list will be a great 
aid as a guide. With it, one is not likely to buy too much 
or too little. 

In some places it is a great pleasure to go through the 
markets, especially on the regular market days. This is 
particularly true where there is a large German or French 
population. The women of these nationahties have stalls 
where they sell eggs, butter, cheese, poultry, fruit, vegetables, 
and flowers, — the product of their own and neighbors' 
farms. Nothing can be brighter or more picturesque than 
are such markets in the spring, summer, and fall, when 
flowers and vegetables are in abundance. Even the poor la- 
borer's wife takes home her little growing plant, or a bunch 
of fresh flowers. Going to market has not been all prose 
to that poor woman, although she had to calculate very 



70 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

closely in her purchases for her table ; for has she not had 
the sight and odor of the plants and green vegetables, and 
did not their beauty and freshness fill her mind with visions 
of a beautiful and fragrant country? What a pity there are 
not such markets in all our cities ! 

If you have never made a practice of going to market, 
try the plan now. It will pay you. 



Buying Food for a Small Family. 

A woman who has to provide for a large family can plan 
and buy with greater economy than if her family consisted of 

only two or three. This 
is especially the case 
with meats and some 
kinds of fish. In buying 
meats, if the family be 
small, it is wiser to get 
only the parts actually 
wanted than to buy 
large pieces, simply be- 
cause they are cheaper 
by the pound. When 
planning to cook a large 
piece of meat or fish, its adaptability to being made over 
into various little dishes should be considered. Pork is 
the least desirable of the fresh meats for such purposes. 
For warming over in various ways the following- named 
meats are the most valuable : poultry, veal, lamb, mutton, 
and beef. The white meats are better than the red for 
this purpose. This is also true of fish ; the white, dry va- 
rieties are much better for made-over dishes than the dark, 
oily kinds. 

The smallest prime roast of beef is one of the short ribs, 
weighing from three to four pounds. There are two of 
these short ribs. In Boston they are called the tip of the 




LOIN. 



BUYING FOOD AND CARING FOR IT. 



71 




RUMP. 



sirloin ; outside New England, the short ribs or first cut of 
the ribs. The two ribs are included in the cut, but it is 
possible to get the cut divided. 

A small loin of lamb, mutton, or veal, weighing about three 
or four pounds, makes a roast that will not last forever. 
Great care must be 
used in treating 
these small roasts. 
The heat must be 
moderate after the 
roast is browned and 
there must be a 
generous and fre- 
quent basting, else 
the meat will be 
dry. ' 

A turkey weighing between six and seven pounds is 
about the smallest one can find in the market, but it can 
be served in so many ways that one need not grow to hate 
the sight of turkey before it is all gone. 

In the season of lamb it is possible to get a small leg from 
which there can be cut one or two cutlets. The remainder 
of the leg can be roasted the following day. If there be a 
cold room where meats can be hung, a leg of mutton can 
be used for several meals. Cut off about one third for a 
roast. In about two or three days cut off a thick slice, to 
be breaded and fried, and served with tomato sauce. In 
four or five days the remainder of the leg can be roasted. 
The leg of mutton that one can get small enough for this 
purpose will probably be what butchers call yearling lamb. 
It is not possible to get the best kind of beef or mutton in 
so light a weight that it can be used to advantage in a 
small family. 

One grouse or partridge, a chicken, duck, or rabbit, a 
pair of pigeons or of quail, all can be used as a roast in a 
family of two. 



7.2 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Here are some of the things that can be bought in small 
quantities : half a pound of sausages, a thin slice of ham 
that will not weigh more than half a pound, a quarter of a 
pound of dried beef, a quarter of a pound of smoked 
bacon, a quarter of a pound of smoked salmon or halibut, 
one pound of salt codfish, which will answer for three or 
four dishes, — fish-balls, fish in cream, fish hash, etc. ; one 
thin slice of round steak, weighing about a pound, can be 
used for beef olives or roll ; a slice of veal from the leg 
can be used in the same way ; a piece of beef, cut from 
the shoulder, and weighing about two or three pounds, can 




LEG OF MUTTON. 

be braised ; about a pound and a quarter of fresh beef, cut 
from any of the tough parts of the animal, can be prepared 
in a stew ; mutton and veal can be used in the same way. 

A short porter-house steak may be made to answer for 
two meals. Cut out the tenderloin, broil it, and serve with 
brown or mushroom sauce. The remainder of the steak 
should be put in a cold place and used a day or two later. 

In summer vegetables should be bought from day to day, 
as they are required. In the fall and winter tuberous 
vegetables may be bought in larger quantities, if there be a 



BUYING FOOD AND CARING FOR IT. 73 

cool place in which to store them. The common white 
potatoes may be purchased by the barrel, but as the sweet 
potato decays rapidly, it is best to buy it by the pound. 
Carrots, turnips, beets, onions, squash, etc., are vegetables 
that can be stored, and if one live in a country town it will 
be well to store them ; but for the housekeeper in the city 
it will be economy to purchase these vegetables only as she 
requires them. 

Squash spoils quickly after it has been cut. Since one 
can purchase as small a quantity as two or three pounds, it 
would, therefore, be unwise to buy a whole squash simply 
because it costs a little less per pound than when bought 
in a small quantity. 

If one have a cold cellar, it would be well to put in one 
or two barrels of apples late in the fall ; but as all fruits as 
well as vegetables require a low, dry temperature, it would 
be unwise to make large purchases unless one have a proper 
place to keep them in. 

Butter, Eggs, and Milk. 

Butter is an expensive article, and should be selected 
with care. If one have the proper place for storing it, and 
can get it direct from some trustworthy dairy, it would be 
economical to purchase the winter's supply in October. 
About fifty pounds will be enough for a family of two for 
six months. This should be put up in two or three small 
tubs. It must be kept in a cool, sweet place. 

Eggs, of course, are best fresh. It is wise economy for 
the young housekeeper to pay the extra price, and always 
be sure of the quality of her supply. 

Pure milk is a most important adjunct to the table. As 
far as it is in her power to do so, the housekeeper should 
see that the supply comes from a wholesome source, and 
then do her part to keep the milk good by having the ves- 
sels perfectly clean and the surroundings such that the milk 
shall not be contaminated. 



74 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

About Groceries. 

Flour, if stored in a cool, sweet, dry place, will be better 
for bread-making if kept several months after being made. 
All the meals are better when fresh, and only a small quan- 
tity should be purchased at a time. Sugar is about the 
same price, whether you buy it in small or large quantities. 
It saves much bother to buy the granulated and cut sugar 
in sufficient quantities to last a month or more. Powdered 
sugar " cakes," and only a small amount should be kept 
in store. English breakfast tea improves with age, while 
the lighter teas do not. The green coffee berry grows bet- 
ter as it grows older ; but after coffee is roasted it quickly 
loses strength and flavor, so that only a small quantity of 
the roasted berry should be bought at one time. 

Buy flavors, spices, etc. in small quantities, and get only 
the purest. The store closet should always contain maca- 
roni, rice, fine breakfast hominy, tapioca, barley, corn-starch, 
arrowroot, farina, chocolate, breakfast cocoa, tea, coffee, 
some of the cereal preparations for mush, white and red 
pepper, mustard, a small supply of whole spices, such as 
cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, mace, allspice, and pepper; also 
ground cinnamon, mace, and allspice. The less ground 
clove one uses the better. It is well to have on hand a 
bunch each of dried thyme, savory, and sage, and half an 
ounce of bay leaves, which can be purchased at the grocer's 
or druggist's, a few packages of gelatine, and a small pack- 
age of sea-moss farina, which insures a foundation for a 
cold dessert at short notice. 

For emergencies, the store closet should always contain 
some canned peas, tomatoes, corn, fruit, chicken, salmon, a 
box of fancy crackers, some plain soda crackers, a bottle of 
olives, and a can of condensed milk. One need never be 
at a loss to prepare a good meal at short notice with this 
supply in reserve. 



BUYING FOOD AND CARING FOR IT. 75 



CARE OF FOOD. 

One may buy food with good judgment, and yet fail 
to be an economical provider because she does not take 
proper care of it. Perfect cleanliness is essential for the 
best preservation of food. The cellar, pantries, storerooms, 
refrigerators, and all the receptacles in which food is kept, 
should be frequently inspected and thoroughly cleaned. 
Heat and moisture tend to cause decay; therefore it is 
important that all foods should be surrounded with pure, 
cool, dry air. When it is possible, expose every closet and 
food receptacle to the sun and air several times a week. 

All kinds of cooked food, particularly the animal foods, 
spoil quickly when covered closely while still warm. All 
soups, meat, fish, bread, etc., that are to be kept for many 
days or hours, should be cooled thoroughly and quickly in a 
current of cold air. In hot weather it is a good plan, when 
cooling soups, milk, or any liquid mass, to place the vessel 
containing the food in another of cold water, — with ice, if 
convenient, — and set it in a cool draught. 

All meat, when not hung up, should be placed on a dish 
and set in a cool place. If poultry be drawn, and a few 
pieces of charcoal be placed in the body, it will keep longer 
than if hung undrawn. It must not be washed until it is to 
be cooked. The dryer the meat is kept the better. 

A dish of charcoal placed in the refrigerator or pantry 
helps to keep the atmosphere dry and sweet. 

Milk and butter should be kept in a cool place, and away 
from all strong odors. 

Bread and cake must be thoroughly cooled before being 
put in boxes or jars ; if not, the steam will cause them to 
mould quickly. The bread box should be washed, scalded, 
and thoroughly aired in the sun, twice a week. The crusts 
and stale pieces of white raised bread, for which there is no 
other use, should be put in a pan, be dried slowly in a warm 



'j^ MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

oven, and then be pounded, sifted, and put in glass jars for 
future use. 

All the trimmings of fat should be rendered while they 
are sweet ; then strained into jars or pails kept for that pur- 
pose. Put beef, pork, and chicken fat together; this will 
answer for deep frying. Ham, bacon, and sausage fat 
answers for frying potatoes, hominy, mush, etc. All the 
strong- flavored fats, such as mutton, duck, turkey, and the 
skimmings from boiled ham, are to be kept by themselves 
for making soap. 

It should be remembered that pure fat will keep sweet 
many months, but if water or any foreign substance be left 
in it, it will spoil quickly. When rendering or clarifying 
fat, cook it slowly until there are no bubbles. As long as 
bubbles form, you may be sure that there is water in the fat. 
If put away in that condition it will become rancid. 

Clarifying Fat. 

To clarify fat that has been used for frying, put it into a 
frying kettle, being careful not to let the sediment go in, and 
place the kettle on the fire. When the fat becomes hot, 
add three raw potatoes cut into slices, and stir well. The 
impurities gather on the potatoes. Three potatoes will be 
enough for four pounds of fat. Whenever there are any 
trimmings of fat from any kind of meat cut them in bits and 
place in a frying-pan on the back part of the stove, where 
they will cook slowly until all the liquid fat has been 
extracted. Strain this into a pot kept for this purpose. 

As soon as the fat is skimmed from soups, gravies, and the 
water in which meat has been boiled, it should be clarified, 
as the water and other objectionable particles contained in it 
will cause it to become rancid if it stands a long time. Put 
it on the stove, in a frying-pan, and heat it slowly. When 
it becomes melted, set it where it will simply bubble, and 
keep it there (being careful not to let it burn) until there is 



BUYING FOOD AND CARING FOR IT. jy 

no motion, and all the sediment has fallen to the bottom of 
the pan. When this stage is reached the fat is clarified. 

Sometimes fat that has been used several times for frying, 
and has not been strained, will become dark and unfit for 
use. This may be put into a kettle with about six times as 
much hot water, boiled for twenty minutes, turned into a 
large pan, and set in a cold place. When the contents of 
the pan become cold, the fat will be found in the form of a 
solid cake on the surface of the water. It must be removed, 
and clarified in the manner already described. 

To clarify butter, put it in a stewpan, and set it on the 
back part of the range, where it will heat slowly. When a 
clear, oily substance is found on top, and a cloudy sediment 
at the bottom of the pan, lift the pan gently and pour off 
the clear substance, which will be the clarified butter. 

When the fat is ready to strain, draw it back where it will 
partially cool ; then strain it through a piece of cheese-cloth. 

Tin or stoneware vessels are the best in which to keep 
fat. The pails in which lard comes are very good for soap 
grease, because, knowing their exact capacity, one knows 
just how much grease there is on hand. Have the pails 
covered, and keep them in a cool place. 

Save for stock all the bones and trimmings from fresh 
meat, the bones from roasts or broils, and such pieces of 
cooked meat as are too tough or hard to serve cold or in 
made dishes. Put these in a stewpan, with water enough 
to cover them, and simmer for five or six hours. Strain into 
a bowl, and cool quickly. No matter how little bone or 
meat there may be, cook it in this way while it is fresh and 
sweet. A gill of stock has great value in warming over 
meats, fish, and vegetables. 

Odds and Ends. 

It is true that the care of remnants and their preparation 
for the table is not a slight matter ; but in the household 
where attention is given to this matter there is no waste, 



78 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

and a pleasant change of fare can be made daily. If a 
housekeeper looks mto her larder each morning, and avails 
herself of the opportunities she finds to make little dishes 
of the bits of food which she sees before her, the work of 
caring for the odds and ends may become a pleasure rather 
than a burden ; the preparation of this food giving a bright 
woman an opportunity to exercise much taste and skill in 
producing dainty and healthful dishes. 

Pieces of cold meat or fish may be divided into small 
pieces, and warmed in a white or brown sauce ; or the 
sauce and meat or fish may be put in a small baking dish, 
covered with grated bread crumbs, and then browned in 
the oven. If there be not enough fish or meat to serve to 
the entire family, use an extra quantity of sauce, and fill up 
the dish with either well seasoned mashed potatoes, hominy, 
rice, or macaroni. Cover lightly with grated bread crumbs, 
and dot with butter. Bake this for half an hour in a mod- 
erately hot oven. 

Cold meat "or fish may be hashed fine and mixed with 
potato, rice, or hominy, and a sauce, and made into 
croquettes. 

Bits of cooked ham or sausages may be minced fine and 
mixed with hashed potatoes ; the mixture being then well 
seasoned and put into a frying-pan, with a Httle butter or 
sweet drippings, and browned. If there be a little gravy of 
any kind, it may be added to any of the above-mentioned 
dishes. 

Nearly all kinds of vegetables may be combined in a salad 
or a hash. 

Tough pieces of meat and bones may be used in making 
little stews or a little soup stock. All kinds of meats may 
be combined in making a stew or soup. 

A few spoonfuls of almost any kind of meat, fish, or vege- 
table may be heated in a sauce and spread over a plain 
omelet, just before rolling it up, thus giving a change in 
this dish of eggs. 



BUYING FOOD AND CARING FOR IT. 79 

A soft-boiled egg left from a meal may be boiled until 
hard, and then used in a salad or an egg sauce. 

Pieces of bread may be used for puddings and griddle- 
cakes, and, in the form of dried crumbs, for breading. 

Pieces of cake and gingerbread may be used in puddings. 

Gravies, sauces, and soups, no matter how small the quan- 
tity, should be saved to use in warming over meat, fish, or 
vegetables. 

A few tablespoonfuls of cold rice or hominy are often 
a pleasing addition to muffins or griddle-cakes. Indeed, 
it is rarely necessary to waste a particle of food if the 
proper attention be given to the little details of kitchen 
management. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



SOUPS. 



A Good Plain Stock. 



7 quarts of cold water, 

A shin of beef weighing ten 

pounds. 
4 tablespoonfuls of butter. 
I generous tablespoonful of salt. 
A piece of cinnamon two inches 

long. 



I teaspoonf ul of pepper-corns. 

A tiny bit of mace. 

6 whole cloves. 

Yi pint of minced onion. 

4 tablespoonfuls of minced carrot. 

4 tablespoonfuls of minced celery. 

A bouquet of sweet herbs. 



Have the butcher cut the shin of beef into several parts. 
Wash it in cold water, and then cut off any particles that 
do not seem perfectly sweet. The lower end of the leg, 
near the hoofs, is apt to be a little tainted. Cut all the meat 
from the bones, and then cut it into small pieces. Put one 
tablespoonful of the butter in the soup pot, and place on 
the hottest part of the fire. Put the meat in the pot, and 
stir frequently until it is browned. It will take about half 
an hour for this. At first the juices are drawn out of the 
meat, making a great deal of liquid in the pot. The cook- 
ing must be continued until all this juice has evaporated, 
leaving a dry, brown substance on the bottom of the pan. 
Now add one pint of the water, and stir the meat well, 
scraping the brown substance from the bottom of the pot. 
Add the remainder of the water and the salt and bones. 
As soon as the soup comes to the boiling point, skim care- 
fully several times. Lay a piece of cheese-cloth in a strainer 
and place in a bowl. Skim into this, and when the soup has 
ceased to throw up any more scum, pour back into the soup 



SOUPS. 8 1 

pot the clear liquid which will be found in the bowl. Draw 
the soup pot back where the contents will bubble gently for 
eight hours. 

Put the minced vegetables and three tablespoonfuls of 
butter in a small frying-pan, and cook slowly for half an 
hour. At the end of that time draw forward to a hotter 
part of the range and stir until they begin to brown ; then 
draw them to one side of the pan and press out the butter. 
Add them to the soup, and pour the butter into a cup, as 
it will be useful in making sauces. 

Tie up the spice and the bouquet of sweet herbs in a 
piece of cheese-cloth and put into the soup pot. Cook 
the soup for an hour and a half longer ; then strain through 
a coarse napkin into two or three bowls, and cook rapidly. 
Set away in a cold place and it will become a jelly. When 
about to use it, remove all the fat and turn into a sauce- 
pan, being careful to keep back any sediment there may 
be at the bottom of the bowl. It will then be ready to 
serve as a clear soup ; or it can have any kind of a garnish 
added to it, such as cooked rice, macaroni, vegetables, etc. 
It may require a little more salt and pepper. 

This soup may be kept for months if sealed in jars. 
Have the jars hot and the soup boiling hot. On filling 
the jars, seal at once, and keep in a cool, dark place. 

Second Stock. 

Put away in a cold place the meat and bones which were 
left from the strained stock. In the morning add six 
quarts of water to it, and cook gently for six hours ; then 
strain and put away to cool. This stock lacks the fine 
flavor of the first stock, but it is useful for thick soups, 
sauces, and made-over dishes. 



82 MISS PARLOA'S young HOUSEKEEPER. 



Macaroni Soup. 

i^ pints of clear soup. 
4 sticks of macaroni. 
I teaspoonful of salt. 

Break the macaroni into small pieces and throw it into 
one quart of boiling water containing the teaspoonful of salt. 
Let it boil for twenty-five minutes with the cover off the 
stewpan. Drain off the water and add the macaroni to the 
hot stock. Cover, and cook for ten or fifteen minutes, 
being careful to have the soup only bubble at one side. It 
may require a little more salt and pepper. 

Vermicelli and any of the smaller forms of Italian paste 
may be added to the clear stock and cooked gently for 
about twenty minutes. 

Rice Soup. 

Wash two tablespoonfuls of rice and cook it the same as 
the macaroni ; then drain it, and add to the pint and a 
half of hot stock. Cook the mixture gently for ten 
minutes. 

Beef Soup. 



2 pounds of beef from the round. 
2 quarts of water. 
2 tablespoonfuls of minced onion. 
I tablespoonful of minced carrot. 
I tablespoonful of minced celery. 
^ pint of potatoes, chopped fine. 



y^ gill of barley. 

1 clove. 

2 tablespoonfuls of butter. 
I tablespoonful of flour. 
Ye, teaspoonful of pepper. 

I teaspoonful of salt. 



Free the meat from fat and cut it into fine pieces. Put 
it in the soup pot with the cold water and heat slowly to 
the boihng point. Skim carefully, and set back where the 
soup will just bubble at one side of the pot. Wash the 
barley and put it on to cook in one pint of cold water. 
At the end of half an hour pour off the water and add the 
barley to the soup. When the soup has been cooking for 



SOUPS. 



83 



three hours put the butter, minced onion, carrot, and celery 
into a frying-pan and cook slowly for fifteen minutes. 
Skim the vegetables from the butter and put them in the 
soup. Stir the flour into the butter remaining in the pan. 
Cook until brown, stirring all the while ; then add to the 
soup. Now add the potatoes and salt and pepper, and 
cook for half an hour longer. 



Oxtail Soup. 



I oxtail. 

I quart of water. 
I pint of stock. 

I heaping tablespoonful of corn- 
starch. 

1 tablespoonful of minced celery. 

2 tablespoonfuls of minced onion. 
I tablespoonful of minced carrot. 



20 pepper-corns. 

2 whole cloves. 

A tiny bit of mace, 

A small piece of cinnamon. 

I bay leaf. 

I small leaf of sage. 

I small sprig of parsley. 

I small sprig of thyme. 



Free the oxtail from fat and cut into small joints. Wash 
these in several waters and then put them in a stewpan with 
the cold water. Place on the range and heat slowly to the 
boihng point ; then skim, and move the stewpan back 
where the water will just bubble at one side of the stew- 
pan. Cook for one hour. Tie the vegetables, herbs, and 
spice in a piece of netting, and put them in the stewpan. 
Add the salt, and cook for one hour longer. Strain the 
broth into a bowl and set away in a cold place. Rinse the 
oxtail in cold water and put in a cold place. 

When the broth is cold, skim off all the fat. Put the 
soup stock and skimmed broth in a stewpan, and set on 
the fire. When this boils, add the corn-starch, mixed 
smoothly with a gill of cold water. Cook for fifteen min- 
utes ; then add the oxtail and cook for ten minutes longer. 
Taste, to see if seasoned enough, and serve very hot. 

A few tablespoonfuls of sherry will improve this soup for 
many tastes. It should be added just before the soup is 
poured into the tureen. 



84 



MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 



Veal Broth. 



2 pounds of the poorer parts of 
veal. 

2 quarts of water. 

3 tablespoonfuls of minced onion. 
I tablespoonful of minced carrot. 
I whole clove. 

I inch piece of cinnamon. 



1 level tablespoonful of salt. 
X teaspoonf ul of pepper. 

% teaspoonful of celery seeds. 

2 tablespoonfuls of butter. 
2 tablespoonfuls of flour. 

I pint of raw potato cubes. 



Cut the veal into cubes and put the bones and meat into 
a stewpan with the water, seasoning, and vegetables. Place 
on the fire, and when the soup comes to the boihng point, 
skim carefully, and then set back where it will just bubble. 
Heat the butter in a small saucepan, and add the flour to 
it. Stir until the mixture is smooth and frothy ; then stir 
it into the broth. Simmer the broth for two hours and a 
half, and, after adding the pint of potato cubes, cook for 
half an hour longer. 

The potatoes may be omitted and a quarter of a cupful 
of rice be added when the broth has been cooking for an 
hour and a half. 



Scotch Broth. 



lyz pounds of neck or shoulder of 

mutton, 
I tablespoonful of pearl barley. 
I tablespoonful of minced onion. 
I tablespoonful of minced carrot. 
I tablespoonful of minced turnip. 
I tablespoonful of minced celery. 



I tablespoonful of butter. 

I tablespoonful of flour. 

I heaping teaspoonful of salt. 

% teaspoonful of pepper. 

I teaspoonful of chopped parsley. 

3 pints of water. 



Remove all the fat from the mutton and cut the lean 
meat into cubes, which should be put in a stewpan with 
the chopped vegetables, salt, pepper, and the barley, well 
washed. Tie the bones in a piece of coarse white netting 
and put them in the stewpan with the other ingredients. 
Add the three pints of cold water and cover the stewpan. 



SOUPS. 



85 



Place the soup on the stove where it will heat slowly to the 
boiling point. When it reaches that temperature, skim it 
and set back where it will only bubble slightly at one side of 
the pan. Cook in this manner for three hours, being care- 
ful not to let it more than bubble gently in all that time. 
At the end of the three hours take out the bones. Now 
put the butter in a little saucepan and set on the fire to 
heat. When hot, stir in the flour, and cook — stirring all 
the time — until the mixture is smooth and frothy. Stir 
this into the broth ; then add the chopped parsley, and cook 
ten minutes longer. 



Vegetable Soup. 



1 pound of beef. 

2 quarts of water, 

I gill of minced carrot. 

I gill of minced turnip. 

y^ gill of minced onion. 

I tablespoonful of minced celery. 



%. pint of potato cubes. 

I tablespoonful of rice. 

I tablespoonful of flour. 

I generous teaspoonful of salt. 

y% teaspoonful of pepper. 



Cut the meat into cubes ; then put it in a stewpan and 
set on the fire with the cold water. When this boils, skim 
carefully. Mix the flour to a smooth paste with one gill of 
cold water, and stir into the boiling ingredients. Next 
add the rice. Move the stewpan back where the contents 
will bubble at one side for one hour ; then add the onion 
and carrot. Cook for one hour longer, and then put in the 
turnips, potatoes, salt, and pepper, and simmer for half an 
hour longer. Serve hot. 

Two quarts of the water in which the bones and hard 
pieces of meat have been cooked may be substituted for 
the beef and water. If one choose, half a pint of finely 
shred cabbage may be added at the same time the onions 
and carrots are put in the soup. 



86 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 



Chicken Soup. 



3 pints of the water in which a 

fowl was boiled. 
2 tablespoonf uls of rice. 
I tablespoouful of butter. 
I tablespoonf ul of minced carrot. 



2 tablespoonfuls of minced onion. 
2 tablespoonfuls of minced celery, 
I teaspoonf ul of salt, — generous. 
^ of a teaspoonful of pepper. 
Yz teaspoonful of parsley. 



Wash the rice and put it in a stewpan with the chicken 
stock. Place on the fire and cook for two hours. The soup 
must not boil in that time ; keep it where it will be at the 
point of boiling, but do not let it bubble. At the end of 
two hours put the butter and vegetables in a small frying- 
pan and set on the fire, to cook slowly for twenty minutes. 
Now draw the pan to a hotter part of the range, and stir for 
one minute. After pressing the butter from the vegetables, 
put them with the soup. Put the flour with the butter re- 
maining in the pan, and stir until smooth and frothy ; then 
stir the mixture into the soup. Add the salt, pepper, and 
chopped parsley, and cook the soup for thirty minutes 
longer, allowing it to bubble at one side of the saucepan. 

If you have a little cold chicken, cut it into small cubes 
and add it to the soup at the same time the vegetables are 
put in. If you cannot get celery, take half a teaspoonful 
of celery salt, and in that case use only half a teaspoonful 
of the common salt. 

This soup can be made with the stock from boiled fowl, or 
that obtained by boiling the bones of roast chicken. 

Cream of Rice Soup. 

Make this in the same way as chicken soup, with the 
addition of one tablespoonful of rice, a slight grating of nut- 
meg, a tiny bit of mace, and a piece of stick cinnamon 
about an inch long, and the omission of the parsley. 

When the time required for the cooking has expired, take 
out the spice and pour the soup into a fine sieve. Rub all 



SOUPS. 



87 



the rice through, using a wooden vegetable masher, j^ut 
the strained mixture in a clean saucepan with a pint of 
milk, and let it boil up once. 

If you have cream in plenty, use half cream and half 
milk. The soup will be much smoother if it is strained a 
second time, after the milk has been boiled with it. 



Mock Bisque. 



I pint of stewed tomatoes. 
I pint of milk. 
I tablespoonful of flour. 
I tablespoonful of butter. 



Yz teaspoonful of soda. 
% teaspoonful of pepper. 
I teaspoonful of salt. 



Reserve half a gill of the milk and put the remainder on 
to cook in the double-boiler. Put the tomatoes on to cook 
in a stewpan. Mix the flour with the cold milk and stir into 
the boihng milk. Cook for ten minutes ; then add the salt, 
pepper, and butter. Stir the soda into the hot tomatoes 
and stir for half a minute ; then rub through a strainer. 
Add the strained tomatoes to the thickened milk, and serve 
at once. 

If canned tomatoes be used, stir the contents of the can 
before measuring, that the proper proportion of the juice of 
the tomatoes shall be used. If it be inconvenient to serve 
the soup when the tomatoes and thickened milk are done, 
keep them hot in their separate stewpans, and do not mix 
until just before the time to serve. 

Tomato Soup. 



I pint of canned tomatoes. 

Yz pint of stock or water. 

I teaspoonful of salt. 

\ teaspoonful of pepper. 

I teaspoonful of sugar. 

I tablespoonful of minced carrot. 



2 tablespoonfuls of minced onion. 
2 tablespoonfuls of butter, 
I tablespoonful of flour. 

1 heaped teaspoonful of corn- 

starch. 

2 whole cloves. 



88 MISS parloa's young housekeeper, 

P|>t the tomato and stock in a saucepan and set on the 
fire. Cook the vegetables slowly in the butter for twenty 
minutes ; then press out the butter and put the vegetables m 
the soup. Into the butter remaining in the pan put the 
flour, and stir until smooth and frothy ; then add to the 
soup. Mix the corn-starch with four tablespoonfuls of cold 
water, and stir into the soup. Add the other ingredients, 
and simmer for one hour. Stram, and serve with toasted 
or crisped bread. 

Tomato Soup, No. 2. 



I pint of canned tomatoes. 
^ pint of water. 
1 tablespoonful of butter, 
I tablespoonful of flour. 



y^ teaspoonful of salt. 
1 teaspoonful of sugar. 
^ teaspoonful of pepper. 



Put the tomato, water, and seasonings in a stewpan and 
set on the fire. Beat the butter and flour together until 
creamy. When the soup begins to boil, stir this mixture 
into it, and cook for ten minutes. Strain, and serve with 
toasted or fried bread. 

Tomato and Macaroni Soup. 



I pint of meat stock. 

I quart of stewed tomatoes. 

1 teaspoonful of sugar. 

2 teaspoonf uls of salt. 

X teaspoonful of pepper. 



1 gill of cold water. 

2 tablespoonfuls of corn-starch. 
^ pint of broken macaroni. 

I tablespoonful of butter. 



The Stock can be made with any bits of dry hard meat, 
or the bones from roasted or broiled meat ; or one can take 
the water in which a fowl was boiled. 

Put the tomatoes and stock in a stewpan and set on 
the fire. Mix the corn-starch with the cold water, and 
stir into the boiling liquid. Add also the sugar, salt, and 
pepper. 



SOUPS. 



89 



Put the macaroni in a stewpan with a quart of boiling 
water and boil for twenty minutes. Pour off the water, and 
put the macaroni in the soup. Add the butter at the same 
time, and cook for ten minutes longer. 

If the soup be preferred smooth, it can be strained before 
the macaroni is added. 



Corn Soup. 



y^ can of corn. 

lYz pints of milk. 

i)^ tablespoonfuls of biitter. 

I tablespoonf ul of flour. 



I level teaspoonful of salt. 

yk, teaspoonful of pepper. 

I tablespoonful of minced onion. 



Mash the corn as fine as possible, and then put it in the 
double-boiler. Reserve one gill of the milk, and, putting 
the remainder with the corn, cook for fifteen minutes. 
Cook the butter and onions together for ten minutes, and 
add to the corn and milk. Mix the cold milk with the 
flour, and stir into the hot mixture. Add the salt and pep- 
per, and cook for ten minutes longer. Strain, and serve 
hot. 

Potato Soup. 



4 potatoes of medium size. 
lyi pints of milk. 
2 tablespoonfuls of minced celery. 
4 tablespoonfuls of minced onion. 
I tablespoonful of flour. 



I teaspoonful of salt. 

^ teaspoonful of pepper. 

I tablespoonful of butter. 

Yz teaspoonful of minced parsley. 



Pare the potatoes, and, placing on the fire in enough 
boiling water to cover them, cook for thirty minutes. Re- 
serve one gill of the milk, and put the remainder in the 
double-boiler with the onions and celery, and place on 
the fire. Mix the cold milk with the flour, and stir into 
the boiling milk. When the potatoes have been cooking 
for thirty minutes, pour off all the water and mash them 



go 



MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 



fine and light. Gradually beat into them the milk. Now 
add the salt, pepper, and butter, and rub the soup through 
a sieve. Return to the fire, and add the minced parsley. 
Cook for five minutes, and serve immediately. 



Hub Soup. 



^ pint of baked beans. 

^ pint of stewed tomatoes. 

I pint of water. 



I level teaspoonf ul of salt. 
j/^ teaspoonful of pepper. 
J4 teaspoonful of mustard. 



Put all the ingredients into a stewpan and simmer for 
half an hour, with the stewpan covered ; then rub the 
mixture through a coarse sieve and return to the fire. 
Simmer for ten minutes, and serve with toasted crackers 
or bread. 



Lima Bean Soup. 



}4 pint of beans. 
}4 pint of milk. 

2 quarts of water. 

3 tablespoonf uls of minced onion. 
I tablespoonful of minced carrot. 
I tablespoonful of minced celery. 



1 bay leaf. 

2 whole cloves. 

3 tablespoonf uls of butter. 
I tablespoonful of flour. 

I teaspoonful of salt. 

X teaspoonful of pepper. 



Soak the beans over night in two quarts of cold water. 
Pour this water off and rinse the beans in fresh water. Now 
put them in a stewpan with two quarts of cold water. 
Cook slowly for two hours. Cook the vegetables in the 
butter for twenty minutes. On taking them out, add them 
to the soup. Put the flour into the butter remaining in the 
pan, and stir until smooth and frothy. Add this mixture to 
the soup. Now add the other seasonings, and cook for one 
hour longer. At the end of this time take out the spice 
and rub the soup through a fine sieve. Return to the fire 
and add half a pint of hot milk. Stir the soup until it 
boils ; then serve. 



SOUPS. 



91 



Dried Pea Soup. 



^ pint of peas. 

2 quarts of water. 

4 tablespoonfuls of minced onion. 

I tablespoonful of minced carrot. 

1 tablespoonful of minced celery. 

2 tablespoonfuls of drippings or 

butter. 



T ounce of ham, or a ham bone. 
% pound of cold roast or broiled 

meat. 
I tablespoonful of flour. 
X teaspoonf ul of pepper. 
I teaspoonf ul of salt. 
I bay leaf. 



Soak the peas over night in two quarts of cold water. In 
the morning pour off the water, and put the peas, the meat 
and bone, and two quarts of fresh water in the soup kettle, 
and place on the fire. Cook gently. At the end of three 
hours put the drippings and vegetables in a small saucepan, 
and cook slowly for half an hour. When the vegetables 
have been cooked for this time, draw the saucepan forward 
where they will cook a little faster for one minute. Stir all 
the time ; then draw them to the side of the pan to press 
out the fat, and after that put them with the soup. Into 
the fat remaining in the pan put the tablespoonful of flour, 
and stir until the mixture becomes smooth and frothy. Stir 
this into the soup, and add the salt, pepper, and bay leaf. 
Cover, and cook for three hours longer. At the end of that 
time take out the meat and bay leaf, and rub the soup 
through a coarse sieve or colander. Return to the fire and 
make very hot. Serve with crisped bread. 

The soup must be stirred from the bottom frequently all 
the time it is cooking, and it must never more than bubble 
gently. If it cooks too rapidly it will get too thick and be 
in danger of scorching. 



Cream of Dried Pea Soup. 

Make the same as the dried pea soup ; and, after strain- 
ing, add a pint of milk and a little more salt and pepper. 
Stir all the time until it boils ; then strain again, and serve. 



92 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 



Bean Soup. 



y^ pint of white beans. 

)^ pound of lean salt pork. 

3 quarts of water. 

4 tablespoonf uls of minced onion. 
I tablespoonful of minced carrot. 
I tablespoonful of minced celery. 



3 tablespoonfuls of drippings or 

butter. 
I tablespoonful of flour, 
y^ teaspoonful of pepper. 
Salt to taste. 



Make this the same as the dried pea soup. 



Cream of Bean Soup. 



Make the same as bean soup; then add a pint of hot 
milk, and boil up once. Strain, and serve. 

Oyster Soup. 



I pint of oysters. 

1 pint of milk. 

Yz pint of cold water. 

2 level tablespoonfuls of flour. 



% teaspoonful of pepper, 
2 tablespoonfuls of butter. 
Salt, 



Put a strainer over a bowl and turn the oysters into it. 
Pour the water over the oysters and stir with a spoon until 
all the liquid has passed through the strainer. Turn the 
oysters into a dish and set in a cold place. 

Reserve a gill of the milk, and, pouring the remainder in 
the double-boiler, set it on the fire. Put the oyster liquor 
in a stewpan and heat slowly, being careful not to burn. 
Mix the cold milk with the flour, and, stirring into the 
boiling milk, cook for ten minutes. When the oyster 
liquor boils, skim it. When the flour and milk have 
cooked for ten minutes, add the oysters, butter, salt, pep- 
per, and oyster liquor, and continue cooking until the 
oysters curl on the edge and are plump. Serve at once. 

It is well to provide toasted or crisped crackers with this 
soup. 



SOUPS. 93 

Clam Soup. 



I pint of clams, 

1 pint of milk. 
% pint of water. 

2 tablespoonfuls cracker crumbs. 



I heaping tablespoonf ul of floui. 
I heaping tablespoonful of butter. 
I teaspoonful of salt. 
% teaspoonful of pepper. 



Separate the heads from the clams, and put them on to 
smimer with the water for fifteen minutes. Beat the flour 
and butter together, and stir into the water in which the 
heads of the clams are cooking. Now add the seasonmg 
and milk ; and when the mixture boils, strain into another 
stewpan. Chop the soft parts of the clams and add them 
to the soup. Now add the cracker crumbs. Boil the soup 
for three minutes, and serve. 



Clam Chowder. 



I pint of clams. 
I pint of water. 

1 pint of milk. 

3 gills of potato cubes. 

2 ounces of sliced salt pork. 



2 tablespoonfuls of minced onion. 

1 tablespoonful of flour. 

2 teaspoonfuls of salt. 

Yi teaspoonful of pepper. 

3 Boston butter crackers. 



Wash the clams in the water and turn both into a strainer 
which has been placed over a bowl. Cut the soft parts of 
the clams from the hard, and put away in a cold place. 
Chop the hard parts fine and put them in a stewpan. 
Strain on these, through a piece of cheese-cloth, the clam 
water ; after which place it on the fire and cook gently for 
twenty minutes. Fry the sliced pork for ten minutes ; then 
add the onion, and cook ten minutes longer. Take the 
pork and onions from the pan and add to the chopped 
clams. Put the flour into the fat remaining in the pan, and 
stir until smooth and frothy. Add this mixture to the clam 
broth and cook for ten minutes longer. Now put the po- 
tato cubes in a stewpan and strain the clam broth over 
them. Season with the salt and pepper, and cook for 



94 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

twenty minutes. Split the crackers and soak them in the 
milk for four minutes. Add the soft parts of the clams 
and the milk and crackers to the cooking mixture. When 
all boils up, sen^e. 

The milk may be omitted and half a pint of strained 
tomato be added when the potatoes and broth have been 
cooking for ten minutes. 

Pish Chowder. 



2 pounds of fish. 

3 ounces of salt pork. 

3 tablespoonfuls of minced onion. 
3 gills of potato cubes. 
I pint of water. 



% pint of milk. 

1 tablespoonf ul of flour. 
Yj^ teaspoonful of pepper. 

2 teaspoonfuls of salt. 

3 Boston butter crackers. 



First, skin the fish ; and after cutting all the flesh from 
the bones and cutting it in small pieces, cook the bones 
with the water for ten minutes. Cut the pork into thin 
slices and fry until crisp and brown. On taking it from the 
pan, put the onions into the fat, and cook slowly for ten 
minutes. Put a layer of fish in a stewpan and sprinkle 
half the potatoes, fried onions, and salt and pepper on 
this. Put in the remainder of the fish, and finish with the 
rest of the potatoes, onions, salt, and pepper. Into the fat 
remaining in the frying-pan put the flour, and stir until 
smooth and frothy. Gradually pour on this the water in 
which the fish bones were boiled. Stir until it boils ; then 
pour on the fish mixture. 

Lay the slices of pork on top, and cook gently for twenty 
minutes. Split the crackers and soak them in the milk for 
four minutes. Remove the slices of pork and turn crackers 
and milk into the chowder. When this boils up, serve. 

For a change, the milk may be omitted and half a pint 
of tomatoes be added. Any kind of light fish will answer, 
such as cod, haddock, catfish, whitefish, etc. 



SOUPS. 95 

Salt Codfish Chowder. 



1 pint of milk. 

Yz pint of shredded codfish. 
3 gills of potato cubes 
3 ounces of salt pork. 

2 tablespoonf uls of minced onion. 



Ye teaspoonf ul of pepper. 

I tablespoonful of flour. 

Salt. 

3 Boston crackers. 



Wash the fish and cut it into two- inch lengths. Tear 
these in pieces, and, covering with cold water, soak for 
three or four hours. Slice the pork, and cook in the frying- 
pan for ten minutes. Add the onion and cook for ten 
minutes. Now add the flour, and stir until smooth ; after 
which, stir in one gill of water. Put the potatoes in a stew- 
pan and pour the mixture in the frying-pan over them. 
Season with the pepper and half a teaspoonful of salt. 
Place on the fire and cook for ten minutes ; then take out 
the slices of pork and add the fish, milk, and the crackers 
split. Cook gently for half an hour, being careful to let 
the chowder only bubble at one side of the stewpan. At 
the end of the half-hour, taste before serving, to be sure to 
have it salt enough. 



CHAPTER IX. 

PISH. 

FRESH fish should frequently be substituted for meat. 
For those who live in seaboard towns there is no 
trouble in obtaining a variety. Every inland place has its 
own peculiar species, which should have precedence over 
other kinds ; for the first thing to be taken into account is 
freshness. Fish brought from a distance deteriorates with 
the handling it receives and the time it is out of the water. 

The lighter the fish, the greater the variety of modes by 
which it may be cooked. It also may be served more fre- 
quently without one's becoming tired of it. For example, 
at the Isles of Shoals visitors are offered broiled scrod every 
day in the week, yet they do not weary of the dish in a 
stay of months. At Nantucket broiled bluefish is served 
daily, and it is so delicious that its appearance three times 
a day would at first be hailed with pleasure ; but after a short 
time the appetite would become palled, because the fish is 
rich. It would be the same with the freshest and most 
toothsome salmon and mackerel. A rich fish satiates much 
sooner than a lighter and poorer kind, and for this reason 
it is advisable to avoid having the richer varieties frequently. 
Of course, the poorer kinds require more and richer sauces 
than salmon, mackerel, or bluefish. White-fish, like cod, 
haddock, cusk, halibut, and flounders, is improved by the 
addition of sauces made of milk, cream, or white stock. 

Boiling is the least desirable mode of preparing fish, be- 
cause it causes the greatest loss of flavor and nutriment. 
A fine sauce is needed to make the dish satisfactory. But 



FISH. 97 

boiling has one merit : the remains of the fish after the 
first meal are in better form for use in little dishes of many 
kinds than they are if any other way of cooking be em- 
ployed. Small fish, like brook trout, smelts, etc., are best 
when fried. 

How to Boil Fish. 

Fresh fish should always be put on to cook in salted 
boiling water. A little lemon juice or vinegar in the water 
makes the flesh of the fish firmer and improves the flavor. 
For some tastes the flavor is improved still more by putting 
in the water, tied in a piece of cheese-cloth, a few spoon- 
fuls of minced onion, carrot, and celery, two bay leaves, 
a sprig each of thyme, parsley, and summer savory, a small 
bit of cinnamon, and two whole cloves. There should be 
only water enough to cover the fish. If there be a fish- 
kettle with a tray, lay the fish in the tray and do not wrap 
it in a cloth. If, however, there be no regular fish-kettle, 
pin the fish in a piece of cloth, put a large plate in the 
bottom of a large flat saucepan, and lay the fish on this. 
A thick square of fish will take longer to cook than the 
same number of pounds cut from a long, slender fish. A 
smaU cod, haddock, bluefish, lake trout, salmon trout, white- 
fish, etc., weighing from three to five pounds, will require 
thirty minutes' cooking. The water should bubble only at 
the side of the saucepan. A large fish of the same kind, 
weighing six or eight pounds, would require only ten minutes' 
more time. A thick square or cube of halibut or salmon, 
weighing from three to five pounds, would require forty 
minutes' cooking ; and if it weighed six or eight pounds, it 
would require an hour. If the fish be put into cold water 
the juices will be drawn out. The fish will be broken if 
the water be allowed to boil hard during the cooking. A 
good sauce should always be served with boiled fish. 



98 



MISS PARLOA S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 



Baked Fish. 



^ pint of cracker crumbs. 
^ pint cold water. 

1 teaspoonful of salt. 

]4- teaspoonful of pepper. 

2 tablespoonfuls of butter. 

% teaspoonful of summer savory. 



I teaspoonful of minced parsley. 
]4. teaspoonful of onion juice. 
3 ounces of fat salt pork. 
A fish weighing about four or five 
pounds. 



For the dressing, mix the cracker crumbs, herbs, salt, 
pepper, and butter together ; then moisten with water, and 
add the onion juice. Have the fish split and drawn, but 
leave on the head and tail. Gut off the fins and scrape off 
any scales that may still cling to it. Wash and wipe dry ; 
then rub one tablespoonful of salt into it, put the dressing . 
in the opening, and pin together with a skewer. Cut slits 
on the top of the fish, about two inches long and half an 
inch deep. Cut the salt pork in strips and fit them into 
these slits. 

Butter a flat tin sheet and place in the dripping-pan. 
Lay the fish in the pan, having uppermost the side contain- 
ing the pork. Dredge with pepper, salt, and flour. Put 
enough hot water in the pan to cover the bottom, and place 
in the oven. Bake for forty-five minutes, basting every 
fifteen generously with the gravy in the pan and lightly with 
salt, pepper, and flour. When done, lift the tin from the 
dripping-pan and slide the fish upon a warm dish. Serve 
with brown, tomato, or Hoflandaise sauce. 

Fish that cannot be stuffed, such as halibut, may be 
cooked in the same way. Three pounds of halibut would 
be equivalent to a five-pound cod or haddock. 

In giving the rule for so large a fish, aflowance was made 
for the leaving of enough cold fish to make a dish of escal- 
oped fish the next day. 



FISH. 99 

Baked Salt Mackerel. 



1 salt mackerel of medium size. 

3 gills of milk. 

I tablespoonful of butter. 



I level tablespoonful of flour. 
^ teaspoonful of pepper. 



Wash the mackerel and soak it in a pan of cold water, 
having the split side down. In the morning put the fish, 
split side up, in a shallow baking pan. Pour the milk over 
It, and place in a moderate oven. When the mackerel has 
been cooking for twenty minutes, mix the butter, flour, and 
pepper, and stir the mixture into the milk in the pan. Cook 
ten minutes longer ; then slide the fish out on a hot dish 
and pour the sauce over it. Serve hot. 

This dish is suitable for breakfast, luncheon, dinner, or 
supper. Serve with it potatoes in some form. 

How Fish should be Broiled. 

Simple as is the work of broiling a piece of fish, it is more 
often done badly than well. If not cooked enough the fish 
is extremely disagreeable to the taste, and if cooked too 
much it is hard and dry. It is always best to have an exact 
rule as to the time it shall be cooked ; when the fish is put 
on the fire, look at the clock, and take it off as soon as it is 
done. 

A split fish, such as shad, whitefish, mackerel, scrod, 
bluefish, etc., should be timed according to the thick- 
ness. If the fire be bright and hot, a fish an inch thick 
can be cooked twelve minutes. If two inches thick, it will 
take twenty minutes. Of course, when the fire is dull it 
will take longer. 

Always season fish with salt and pepper before cooking. 
A fish with the skin on should be broiled with the skin side 
from the fire until the last five minutes of cooking, when 
that side can be turned to the fire ; but it must be watched 
closely, that it shall not burn. 



100 MISS PARLOAS YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

It is only dry halibut that requires the butter and flour 
before broiling. Many people prefer to dip the slice of fish 
in olive oil rather than butter. If the oil be used it must 
not be heated, and it is well to apply it to the fish an hour 
or more before the cooking. 

Various sauces are often served with broiled fish, but 
there is nothing better than sweet butter, salt, pepper, a 
little lemon juice, and perhaps a little chopped parsley ; or, 
the lemon juice may be omitted and a fresh lemon be cut 
into six parts as a garnish for the dish. Each person can 
then use as much of the acid as pleases him. 

Broiled Halibut. 



i]4. pounds of halibut. 
2 tablespoonfuls of butter. 
1 teaspoonful of lemon juice. 



i}i teaspoonfuls of salt. 
X teaspoonful of pepper. 



Have the halibut cut in a slice about an inch thick. Put 
half the butter, salt, and pepper in a hot soup plate, and 
stir until the butter is melted. Wash and wipe the fish, 
then lay it in the plate of seasoned butter. When one side 
is coated with the butter, turn it down and season the other. 
Dredge lightly with flour, place in the double-broiler, and 
cook over a hot, bright fire for fourteen minutes. Put on a 
hot dish and season with the remaining salt, pepper, butter, 
and the lemon juice, all mixed. Serve very hot. 



Fried Fish. 



2 pounds of fish 

3 ounces of fat salt pork. 
34 teaspoonful of pepper. 



I teaspoonful of salt. 
Flour. 



Have the fish cut in slices about an inch thick. Season 
these with the salt and pepper, and roll in flour. Cut the 
pork in thin slices and fry until crisp and brown. Take 
the pork from the pan, and put the fish in thfe hot fat. 



FISH. 



lOI 



When it has become browned on one side, turn it and 
brown the other side. It will take about twelve minutes to 
fry the fish. Arrange on a hot dish and lay the shces of 
pork on top. Serve hot. 

All small fish, such as trout, perch, and smelts, may be 
cooked in this manner. Draw and wash them, but leave on 
the heads and tails of the smelts and trout. Some kinds 
of small fish need to be skinned, but this is done at the 
market. 

Breaded Fish. 



% pint of dried bread crumbs, 
i^ teaspoonfuls of salt. 
Yd teaspoonful of pepper. 



2 pounds of any kind of fish. 
Fat for frying. 



Have the fish free from skin and bones, and cut it into 
handsome pieces. Season it with the salt and pepper. 
Beat the ^gg in a soup plate and dip the fish in it, one piece 
at a time, getting every part covered with the eggj then 
roll in the crumbs and lay on a plate. Have enough fat in 
the frying kettle to float the fish. When it becomes so hot 
that blue smoke rises from the centre, put in the fish and 
cook for five minutes. Drain on brown paper and serve 
very hot. 

Tartar sauce is particularly good to serve with breaded 
fish. Smelts are especially palatable when cooked in this 
manner. 

Bsealoped Fish. 



yi pint of cooked fish. 
I teaspoonful (scant) of salt. 
^ teaspoonful of pepper. 
I tablespoonful of butter. 



Yz tablespoonful (scant) of flour. 
\% gills of milk. 

4 tablespoonfuls of grated bread 
crumbs. 



Use any kind of cold cooked fish ; but the white kinds, 
such as halibut, cod, haddock, etc., are the best. Have it 



102 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

broken into flakes and freed of bones and skin. Season it 
with half the salt and pepper. Put a generous half of the 
butter in a small pan and set on the fire. When it is hot 
add the flour, and stir until the mixture is smooth and 
frothy ; then gradually add the milk. Boil up once, and 
stir in the remainder of the salt and pepper. Put a layer of 
this sauce in a small baking dish, then a layer of the fish, 
and follow with a second layer of sauce. Now put in the 
rest of the fish and cover with the remainder of the sauce. 
Sprinkle with the bread crumbs and dot with the other half 
tablespoonful of butter. Bake in a moderately hot oven for 
twenty minutes, and serve at once. 

The baking dish should hold nearly a pint. 



Salt Codfish in Cream. 



y^ pint of fish, solidly packed. 

lYz gills of milk, 

I teaspoonful of butter, generous. 



I teaspoonful of flour. 
^ saltspoonful of pepper. 



Cut the salt fish into pieces about an inch and a half 
long, and tear these pieces into thin strips. Wash them 
and, putting them in a bowl with one pint of cold water, let 
them soak over night, or at least four or five hours. In the 
morning put the fish and water in a saucepan and set on 
the fire. Heat to the boiling point, but do not let boil. 
Drain off the water, and, after adding the milk, heat again 
to the boiling point. 

Beat the butter and flour together until light and smooth. 
Stir this mixture in with the fish, and boil up once. Add 
the pepper, and also some salt if any be required. Set 
back where the fish will continue to cook, but not boil, for 
twenty minutes. 

If cream be plentiful use half cream and half milk. 
Serve baked or mashed potatoes with this dish. 



FISH. 103 

Fish Balls. 



I cupful of raw salt codfish. 
6 potatoes of medium size. 
I egg. 



^ teaspoonful of salt. 

}/^ teaspoonful of pepper. 

I level tablespoonf ul of butter. 



Tear the raw fish into fine shreds, and measure out a 
cupful. Pare the potatoes, and put them in a large stew- 
pan. Sprinkle the fish on top and cover with boiling water. 
Cover, and cook for just thirty minutes. Pour off every 
drop of the water, and mash the fish and potato together 
until light and fine ; then beat into the mixture the salt, 
pepper, butter, and the &%g, which should first be well 
beaten. Shape into small balls, and, putting them in the 
frying-basket, cook in deep fat until brown, — say for about 
four or five minutes. 

Great care must be taken to follow the directions exactly, 
and to have the fat so hot when the fish balls are put in 
that blue smoke rises from the centre. If the fat be not 
hot enough, or the water be not all drained off, or if too 
much butter be used, the fish balls will absorb fat and be 
spoiled. If all the work be done carefully, the dish will be 
perfect. 

Pish Cakes. 



I pint of minced salt codfish. 

I pint of hot mashed potatoes 
(about six potatoes of me- 
dium size). 

Yz gill of hot milk. 



1 tablespoonf ul of butter. 
X teaspoonful of pepper. 
^ teaspoonful of salt. 

2 ounces of fat salt pork. 



Wash the fish and soak it over night, in one piece. In 
the morning put it in a saucepan and on the fire, with 
enough cold water to cover it. When the water is heated 
to the boiling point set the saucepan back where the water 
will keep hot, but not boil. Cook the fish in this manner 
for one hour ; then take from the water and cool. When 



104 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

cold, remove the skin and bones and chop the fish fine. 
Pare the potatoes, and put them in a stewpan with boihng 
water enough to cover them. Cook for just thirty minutes ; 
then drain off the water, and mash and beat the potatoes 
with a fork. Beat the fish, butter, salt, pepper, and milk 
into the potato. Shape the mixture into round, flat cakes, 
and fry brown on both sides in pork fat. 

The pork is cut into slices and fried rather slowly until 
crisp and brown. The pan is then placed on a hotter part 
of the fire, and the pork removed ; and as soon as the fat 
is smoking hot, the cakes should be put in to brown. 
Serve the cakes on a hot dish, garnishing them with the 
slices of crisp pork. 

This is a generous amount for three people, and in some 
families it may be found that half the amount will be 
enough. 

When the fish cakes are for breakfast, cook, cool, and 
mince the fish the day before. Pare the potatoes, and let 
them stand in cold water over night. These preparations 
will insure having the fish cakes on time and in perfection 
for an early breakfast. 



Fresh Fish Cakes. 

^ pint of cooked fresh fish. I i level teaspoonful of salt. 

^ pint of hot mashed potato. ^ teaspoonful of pepper. 

I tablespoonful of butter. I 2 tablespoonf uls of pork fat. 

Free the cold fish from skin and bones, and shred it fine 
with a fork. Season it with the salt and pepper. Mash 
the potato fine and beat the butter and fish into it. Shape 
into flat cakes. Have the pork fat smoking hot in the 
frying-pan and put in the fish cakes. When brown on one 
side, turn and brown on the other. Serve immediately. 



I dozen scallops. 
I teaspoonful of salt. 



FISH. 105 

Fried Scallops. 



^ teaspoonful of pepper. 

^2 pint of dried bread crumbs. 

Fat for frying. 



After seasoning the scallops with the salt and pepper, dip 
them in the beaten egg and roll them in the dried bread 
crumbs. Put the scallops in the frying- basket and immerse 
the basket into fat so hot that blue smoke rises from" the 
centre. Cook for two minutes. Drain on brown paper 
and serve very hot. 

Do not put more scallops in the basket than can be 
spread on the bottom. 

Tartar sauce is especially good for this dish. 



Oyster Stew. 



I gill of water. 

i^ pints of oysters. 

1)4 pints of milk. 



1)4 tablespoonfuls of butter. 
X teaspoonful of pepper. 
Salt. 



Put a strainer over a bowl and turn the oysters into it. 
Drain off all the liquor, and then pour one gill of water over 
the oysters. Pour this liquor into a stewpan, being careful 
not to turn in the sandy sediment.. Place where it will 
heat slowly, being careful not to burn. When the liquor 
boils, skim it, and set back where it will keep hot. Mean- 
time heat the milk to the boiling point in the double- 
boiler. Add the hot liquor, oysters, butter, salt, and 
pepper to the boiling milk. Boil up once, and serve 
immediately. 

Oysters on Toast. 



i}4 pints of oysters. 

2 tablespoonfuls of butter. 

)4 teaspoonful of lemon juice. 



3^ teaspoonful of pepper. 

Salt. 

3 slices of toast. 



io6 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Put the oysters in a frying-pan and set on the fire. When 
they begin to boil, skim them ; then add the seasonings. 
Have the toast arranged on a hot dish and pour the oysters 
over it. Serve at once. 



Oysters au Gratin. 



I solid pint of oysters. 
I gill of oyster liquor. 
% gill of milk or cream, 
r^ tablespoonfuls of butter. 



I tablespoonful of flour. 

y^ teaspoonful of salt. 

X teaspoonful of pepper. 

Yz pint of grated bread crumbs. 



Heat the oysters to the boiling point in their own liquor ; 
then turn them into a strainer, which should be placed over 
a bowl. Put a gill of the oyster liquor in a saucepan, and 
heat slowly. Beat one tablespoonful of the butter and flour 
together until light and smooth. Stir this mixture into the 
hot liquor, and cook for three minutes ; then add the milk, 
salt, and pepper. Heat to the boiling point and add the 
drained oysters. Now turn the oysters into rather a shallow 
escalop dish. Sprinkle the crumbs over them, and over 
the crumbs sprinkle the half tablespoonful of butter, broken 
in bits. Bake for twenty minutes in a moderately hot oven. 
If the flavor of nutmeg and Parmesan cheese be liked, add 
to the sauce one teaspoonful of the grated cheese and a 
slight grating of nutmeg. 



Bscaloped Oysters. 



i}^ solid pints of oysters. 
2 generous tablespoonfuls of but- 
ter. 



i^ gills of cracker crumbs. 

I teaspoonful of salt. 

yif. teaspoonful of pepper. 



Put half the oysters in a dish that will hold about one 
quart. Sprinkle over them half the salt and pepper and 
half a tablespoonful of butter, broken in bits. Spread half 



FISH. 107 

the cracker crumbs over this. Now put in the remainder 
of the oysters, salt, pepper, and half a tablespoonful of the 
butter. Spread the remainder of the cracker crumbs over 
this, and then dot with the remaining tablespoonful of but- 
ter. Pour the liquor on the cracker crumbs, and bake in a 
hot oven for half an hour. 



Fried Oysters. 



2 dozen large oysters. 

3 gills of dried bread crumbs. 
I egg. 



I tablespoonful of milk. 
I teaspoonful of salt. 
3^ teaspoonful of pepper. 



Drain the oysters, and season them with the salt and 
pepper. Put a few tablespoonfuls of the crumbs on a plate 
and roll the oysters in them. Beat the egg in a soup plate 
and afterward stir the milk into it. Dip the oysters, one at 
a time, in this mixture, and roll in plenty of bread crumbs. 
Place them on a platter and set in a cool place. When it 
is time to cook them, put a layer in the frying basket and 
plunge into fat so hot that blue smoke rises from the centre. 
Cook for one minute and a half, and serve at once. 

Never place one breaded oyster on top of another before 
they have been fried. 

The milk may be omitted, and two tablespoonfuls of 
tomato ketchup be used instead. 



Creamed Oysters. 



1% pints of oysters. 
3 gills of milk or cream. 
I tablespoonful of flour. 
I teaspoonful of salt. 



5^ teaspoonful of pepper. 

A tiny piece of mace. 

%, teaspoonful of onion juice. 



Put the milk and mace in the double-boiler, and set on 
the fire. Mix the flour with three tablespoonfuls of cold 
milk, reserved from the three gills, and stir into the boiling 



I08 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

miik. Cook for ten minutes. Heat the oysters to the boil- 
ing point in their own Uquor ; then skim and drain them. 
Put the oysters, salt, pepper, and onion juice into the 
thickened cream, and serve. 

If milk be used, add a tablespoonful of butter to the 
thickened milk. 

Lobster. 

Lobster should be perfectly fresh. If it be cooked, the 
odor should be fresh and the shells look bright, and when 
the tail is drawn back it should spring into position again. 
If the lobster be bought alive, see that it moves lively. To 
boil it, plunge it into boiling water and cook gently from 
ten to twenty minutes. A very small lobster will cook in 
ten minutes and a large one in twenty. Cooking a lobster 
too long or at too high a temperature makes it tough, dry, 
and stringy. When it is impossible to get the fresh lobster, 
the canned article may be used instead, though it is of the 
greatest importance to buy only the goods put up by first- 
class houses. 

Curry of Lobster. 



1% gills of lobster meat. 

}i pint of meat stock. 

2 tablespoonfuls of butter. 

I generous tablespoonful of flour. 

I teaspoonful of salt. 



Ye teaspoonful of Cayenne. 
Ye teaspoonful of white pepper. 
I teaspoonful of curry powder. 
I tablespoonful of minced onion. 
3 slices of toast. 



Cut the lobster into small pieces and season with half the 
salt and pepper. Put the butter and onion on the fire, in a 
frying-pan, and cook until the onion turns a straw color ; 
then add the flour and curry-powder and stir until brown. 
Gradually add the stock to this, stirring all the while. 
Season with the remainder of the salt and pepper, and 
cook for three minutes. Strain this into a saucepan, and 
add the lobster. Cook for five minutes. Cut the slices of 



FISH. 109 

toast in strips and lay in a warm dish. Pour the lobster 
over these and serve at once. 

The toast may be omitted, and a dish of boiled rice be 
served with the curry. 

Fricassee of Lobster. 

A fricassee of lobster is prepared the same as a curry ; 
omitting, however, the curry-powder and onion. Milk may 
be substituted for the meat stock. 



Breaded Lobster. 



I large lobster. 

I egg. 

I teaspoonful of salt. 



Ye teaspoonful of pepper. 
Dried bread crumbs. 
Fat for frying. 



Spht the claws and tail and set aside. Take the meat 
from the large joints and the body, and chop fine. Mix 
with this one fourth of the teaspoonful of salt and two table- 
spoonfuls of the " tom-alley." Shape this into three small 
flat cakes. Season the pieces of lobster with the salt and 
pepper. Beat the egg in a soup plate. Dip the pieces of 
lobster and the little cakes, one at a time, into the egg ; 
then roll in the bread crumbs, and, after arranging on a plate, 
put in a cool place until the hour to cook them. When 
that time comes, put the breaded lobster in the frying 
basket and cook in fat until crisp and brown (about two 
minutes). Serve with Tartar sauce. 

Escaloped Lobster. 



3 gills of lobster. 
}i pint of cream or stock. 
1%, tablespoonfuls of butter. 
% pint of grated bread crumbs. 



I teaspoonful of salt, 

yi teaspoonful of Cayenne. 

I tablespoonful of flour. 



Mix in a saucepan one tablespoonful of the butter and 
all the flour. Have the stock or cream hot, and pour it 



no MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

gradually on the butter and the flour, stirring all the time. 
Add half the salt and pepper, and cook for one minute. 
Have the lobster cut fine, and seasoned with the other half 
of the salt and pepper. When the sauce has cooked for 
one minute, add the lobster. Now pour the mixture into a 
shallow escalop dish. Sprinkle the grated bread crumbs 
on this, and then dot with the half tablespoonful of butter. 
Bake in a hot oven for fifteen minutes. 

If cream be used, measure the flour lightly ; but if stock 
be taken, allow a generous tablespoonful. 

Escaloped Crabs. 

Prepare the same as escaloped lobster; using, however, 
only half a pint of crab meat. 

Escaloped Shrimps. 

Prepare this dish in the same manner as escaloped lob- 
ster ; substituting, however, shelled shrimps for the lobster. 

Stewed Clams. 

I pint of shelled clams. I i level teaspoonful of salt. 
I gill of milk. I heaping teaspoonful of flour. 

I tablespoonful of butter. 3 Boston butter crackers. 

Ye teaspoonful of pepper. I 

Put the milk on the fire in the double-boiler. Put the 
clams in a strainer and pour a quart of cold water over 
them. Let them drain for about one minute, and then, 
turning them into a stewpan, place them on the stove. 
Beat the butter and flour to a cream, and stir this mixture 
into the pan containing the hot clams. Add the hot milk, 
salt, and pepper, and cook for two minutes longer. Have 
the crackers soaked for two minutes in cold water, and 
then toasted. Lay them in the bottom of a deep dish, and 
when the clams are stewed pour them over the toast. 



FISH. 1 1 1 

Roast Clams. 

Wash the clam shells thoroughly and drain them in the 
colander for a few minutes. Spread them in an old drip- 
ping-pan and put them into a hot oven. The shells will 
begin to open in five or eight minutes. Take them from 
the oven, and, holding the shell over a warm dish, let the 
clam and juice drop out. Season with butter, salt, and 
pepper, and serve very hot, with thin slices of buttered 
brown bread. 

When possible, get the clams twenty-four hours before 
they are to be used, and after washing them thoroughly 
put them in a pan with just enough cold water to cover 
them ; then, for a peck of clams, sprinkle in half a pint of 
corn meal. This will make the clams plump and tender. 

Steamed Clams. 

Prepare the clams as for roasting, but put them in a dish 
and place it in the steamer. When the shells open the clams 
are done. 



CHAPTER X. 
HOW' TO COOK MEAT. 

BOILING. 

IN boiling meats the temperature of the Hquid should be 
kept at about the boiling point or a few degrees lower ; 
that is, the water should bubble gently at one side of the 
pot or stewpan. Great care must be taken that the water 
shall never boil rapidly, and that the temperature shall not 
be much lower than that indicated by a slight bubbling at 
the side of the stewpan. The meat and liquid will both be 
spoiled if kept for any length of time in a closed vessel with 
the temperature too low. A piece of meat cooked in water 
that boils rapidly all the time will be hard, dry, and stringy, 
no matter how long it is cooked or how tender and good it 
was originally ; but even a tough, dry piece will be tender 
and juicy if cooked at the temperature indicated by the 
water's bubbling at one side of the pot. All meats will be 
juicier if they be allowed to cool, or even partially to cool, 
in the liquid in which they were boiled. The dish in which 
a food material is cooling must always be uncovered until 
the substance is perfectly cold. 

Boiled Leg of Mutton. 

Wipe carefully with a damp cloth a leg of mutton weigh- 
ing between eight and ten pounds, and put it in a deep 
kettle with enough boiling water to cover it. Set the kettle 
where the water will boil rapidly for a quarter of an hour. 
Skim the water when it begins to boil. At the end of the 



HOW TO COOK MEAT. II3 

fifteen minutes draw the kettle back where the water will 
only bubble. If the meat be desired very rare, cook it for 
an hour and a half ; but if you want it rather well done, 
cook it for two hours, being careful that the water only 
bubbles except during the first fifteen minutes. 

When the mutton is done place it on a warm dish. Pour 
a few tablespoonfuls of butter sauce over it, and, if conve- 
nient, garnish with parsley. Send to the table at once with 
the caper sauce and vegetables. 

Of course, this is more meat than three persons would 
want, but if only half a leg be boiled the result will not be 
very satisfactory ; therefore it would be better to roast or 
steam a part of the leg, unless the family be large. 

Steamed Mutton. 

When the family is so small that it is necessary to cut a 
leg of mutton, it is better to steam than to boil it. Place the 
piece of mutton on a kitchen plate, the cut side down. Set 
the plate in the steamer and over a kettle of boiling water. 
Cover closely, and keep the water boiling until the meat is 
done. A piece weighing about four or five pounds will be 
cooked rather rare in one hour. If liked well done, cook 
it longer. Serve the same as boiled leg of mutton. 

Boiled Corned Beef. 

A piece of corned beef will take about the same time to 
cook, whether it weigh four pounds or ten. Wash the meat 
and put it into a stewpan with enough boiling water to 
cover it generously. When the water begins to boil, skim 
thoroughly ; then draw the stewpan back to a place where 
the water will just bubble for five hours. Never let the 
water boil hard, but it must not get much below the boiling 
point at any time. If the meat is t® be pressed, take it 
from the boihng water and place it on a flat dish. Put a 



114 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

tin pan or sheet on top of the hot meat, and on this place 
two bricks or some other weight. Set away in a cool place. 
When the meat is cold, trim the edges, using a sharp knife. 
The trimmings may be used for a corned beef hash. 



Spiced Corned Beef. 



6 pounds of the plate piece of 

beef. 
I pint of coarse salt. 



3 pints of water. 

3 dozen whole allspice. 

2 dozen whole cloves. 



This is a cheap and savory dish for luncheon and tea. 
Put the water and salt in a stewpan and set on the fire. 
Stir frequently until the water boils, and then skim care- 
fully. Take from the fire and set away to cool. Remove 
the bones from the meat by slipping a sharp knife between 
the flesh and bone and cutting the meat from the bone. 
Place the beef in a stone jar or earthen bowl, and when the 
brine is cold pour it over the meat. Cover the dish and set 
it away in a cool place for six or eight days. At the end of 
that time remove the meat and wipe it. Spread it on a 
board and sprinkle the spice over it. Roll up and tie firmly. 
Place this roll in a kettle and cover it with boiling water. 
When the water begins to boil, (it will at first be somewhat 
cooled by the meat,) skim it carefully; then set the kettle 
back where the water will just bubble for six hours. At the 
end of that time take the beef from the kettle and place it 
on a large dish. Put upon it a tin pan and weights, (two 
bricks will be sufficient,) and set away in a cool place. The 
meat should be cut in thin slices when served. 

In New York many of the marketmen salt and spice beef 
for their customers. If one can get a plate piece of corned 
beef that has not been too long in brine, it will answer just 
as well as a fresh piece, and save the housekeeper the 
trouble of corning it. Almost any marketman will willingly 
remove the bones for a customer. 



HOW TO COOK MEAT. 1 15 

Boiled Ham. 

Wash the ham and then soak it in cold water for ten or 
twelve hours. Put it on to cook in cold water. When the 
water begins to boil, skim it, and draw the kettle back to a 
part of the range where the water will only bubble gently. 
Cook the ham for five hours ; then take it up and draw off 
the skin. Place the skinned ham in a dripping-pan and 
sprinkle over it one cupful of fine dried crumbs mixed with 
two tablespoonfuls of sugar. Cook it slowly in the oven 
for one hour. 

If only a part of a ham is to be boiled, it would be better 
to steam it than to put it in the water. Wash and soak it ; 
then steam it the same as mutton, cooking it for six hours. 
Brown it in the oven if you like. 

Fresh Tongue. 

Wash the tongue and put it in a stewpan with boiling 
water enough to cover it generously. Add four tablespoon- 
fuls of salt. When the water begins to boil, skim carefully 
and draw the stewpan back to a place where the water will 
bubble gendy for five hours. Take the tongue from the 
boiling water and plunge it into cold water. Draw off the 
rough skin, beginning at the roots of the tongue. Place the 
tongue on a dish, cover it lightly with a coarse towel, and 
put it in a cold place. 

Smoked Tongues. 

Cook a smoked tongue exactly the same as a ham, except 
that it is not to be browned in the oven. It will require five 
hours' time to boil it. 

Pickled Tongue. 

Treat a pickled tongue the same as a piece of corned 
beef. It will require five hours' cooking. 



ii6 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 



SCIENCE IN ROASTING MEAT. 

A roast of meat, be it rare or well done, should be juicy 
and tender. One should not roast a tough piece of meat ; 
stewing, braising, or boiling is better, because the cooking 
can be continued for a long time at a low temperature, and 
this method will make the toughest piece of meat tender. 
The meat always should be exposed to a high temperature at 
first, that the surface may become hardened and the juices 
protected. If the high temperature be continued all the 
time of cooking, the meat will become hard, dry, and 
stringy, as far as the heat has penetrated. It will be seen, 
therefore, that the high temperature should be kept up only 
long enough to form a thin, hard crust on the meat. From 
twenty to thirty minutes will suffice for this. The tempera- 
ture should then be lowered by closing the draughts of the 
range. 

Basting is another important item in roasting. If one 
use no water in the dripping-pan, and baste only with the 
fat that drops from the meat into the bottom of the pan, the 
roast will have a beautiful glossy brown surface when it is 
done ; but it must be remembered that fat can be heated 
to a much higher point than water, and that basting with 
this boiling hot fat will help to harden the piece of meat. 

If a small quantity of water be kept in the bottom of the 
dripping-pan, the drippings from the meat, mingling with 
it, will be kept at a low temperature, so that, if the meat be 
freely basted with this mixture every fifteen minutes, the 
surface of the piece of meat will be kept moist, and at a 
lower temperature than when basted with the hot fat, or 
not basted at all. By basting with this mixture of drippings 
and water, the heat is driven from the surface to the centre 
of the piece of meat, insuring a roast that will be rare from 
a point about half an inch from the surface to the centre. 
Bear these facts in mind when roasting meats. 



HOW TO COOK MEAT. 117 

How to Roast Meat in the Oven. 

Have a dripping-pan of Russian iron and a meat-rack 
three or four inches shorter than the pan. 





I 1 N MEAT-RACK. 

Examine the piece of meat, and if there be any places 
that have become tainted trim them off with a sharp knife. 
Wipe the meat with a wet towel. Now season with salt and 
pepper, and dredge lightly with flour. 

All the seasoning must be done with the meat resting on 
the rack, that the stray particles may fall to the bottom of 
the pan. Dredge flour over the bottom of the pan until the 
surface is white. 

Have the oven very hot (about 400 or 450 degrees), and 
place the meat in it. Watch closely, and as soon as the 
flour in the pan turns dark brown pour in enough boiling 
water to cover the bottom of the pan. The flour may brown 
in five minutes, yet it may take ten or more for this process, 
the time depending upon the bottom of the oven. When 
the meat is brown on one side, baste well, and turn it over 
to brown the other side. When the meat has been in the 
oven for about thirty minutes, close the draughts to reduce 
the heat of the oven. 

Baste the meat every fifteen minutes in this manner. 
With a long spoon, dip up the liquid from the bottom of the 
pan and pour it over the meat. Continue this until nearly 
all has been absorbed by the meat ; then dredge lightly with 
salt, pepper, and flour. Now pour into the pan enough hot 
water to cover the bottom. The last time the meat is basted 
omit putting the water in the pan, and at the end of fifteen 
minutes all the liquid will be evaporated. Now take up the 
meat and place it on a hot platter. Take out the rack, and 



ii8 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

then pour all the fat from the pan into a cup. Put half a 
pint of hot water in the pan and set on top of the range. 
Scrape all the sediment from the sides and bottom, and 
thicken this gravy with a teaspoonful of flour smoothly 
mixed with a gill of cold water. Season with salt and pep- 
per, and simmer for two minutes ; then strain into a hot 
dish and serve with the roast meat. 

The time of cooking a roast depends upon the shape in 
which it is cut and whether it is to be rare or well done. 
The rule of so many minutes for each pound is not a good 
one ; for a long, thin, rib roast might weigh just the same 
as a short, thick piece cut from the round, rump, or 
shoulder, and, of course, the thin piece would cook much 
more quickly than the short thick piece. 

A leg of mutton weighing eight or nine pounds should be 
cooked for an hour and three quarters, if to be served rare ; 
if to be medium rare, two hours, but if well done (a pity it 
should ever be !) two hours and a quarter. Haifa leg of 
mutton, weighing about four pounds, should be cooked for 
an hour and a quarter. The meat will be rare. 

Roast Rib of Beef. 

For three persons one rib will be enough. Wipe the meat 
with a damp towel. Place a meat-rack in a dripping-pan 
and lay the beef on it. Dredge with salt, pepper, and flour, 
turning the meat over in order that every part shall receive 
a portion of the coating. Dredge the bottom of the pan 
lightly with the flour and salt. Set the pan in a very hot 
oven, and watch carefully to prevent the flour on the bottom 
of the pan from burning. When the flour turns dark brown, 
pour in enough water to cover the bottom of the pan ; this 
will be in from two to five minutes after the pan is placed 
in the oven. After the water has been added let the meat 
cook awhile, and then baste it. To baste, draw the pan out 
of the oven and tip it a little, that all the gravy shall flow to 



HOW TO COOK MEAT. IIQ 

one end of the pan. With a long-handled spoon, dip up 
this gravy and pour it over the meat. Continue this until 
the entire piece is well moistened. Now dredge the meat 
lightly with salt, pepper, and flour. Pour into the pan 
enough boiling water to cover the bottom, and return to the 
oven. At the end of a quarter of an hour draw the pan out 
again, turn the meat over, and baste as before. Add some 
water and then set the pan in the oven. Now reduce the 
heat by shutting the draughts, and baste every fifteen min- 
utes in the manner described. Do not use any water the 
last time. The meat should cook in all one hour if wanted 
rather rare. When the beef is done, take it up and place it 
on a warm dish. Pour all the fat from the dripping-pan, 
and, after setting the pan on the range, pour into it half a 
pint of boiling water. Scrape all the brown sediment from 
the sides and bottom of the pan. Mix one teaspoonful of 
flour with three tablespoonfuls of cold water, and gradually 
pour this mixture into the dripping-pan, stirring all the 
while. It may not take all the mixture of flour and water 
to thicken the gravy. Stop when the gravy is about as 
thick as cream. Season with salt and pepper, and strain 
into a hot bowl. 

If all this work be properly done, the beef will be rare 
and juicy, and the gravy rich, brown, and smooth. 

Roast Lamb. 

Lamb, being immature meat, should be rather well done. 
The spring lambs are so small that a leg will not make a 
burdensome roast in a small family. The loin and breast 
make good small roasts. Roast the lamb according to the 
rule given for roast rib of beef. Serve with the made 
gravy and mint sauce. Asparagus, peas, young beets, sum- 
mer squash, and any delicate summer vegetable, may be 
served with lamb. 



120 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

Roast Mutton. 

Mutton is roasted like beef. For a small roast the loin 
or breast is good. A leg of mutton may be cut into two 
parts, using one for a roast and the other for steaming. 
Mutton should always be cooked rare and served hot. 
Currant jelly should be provided with a roast. The most 
appropriate vegetables are potatoes, onions, mashed turnips, 
rice, squash, tomatoes in any form, sweet potatoes, Lima 
beans, canned corn, etc. 

Stuffed Mutton. 

Make the dressing given for roast veal, substituting a gen- 
erous tablespoonful of butter for the chopped pork, and 
adding also one teaspoonful of onion juice. Have the 
bone removed from half of a leg of mutton. Cut deep 
incisions in the inside of the leg, and press the dressing 
into these. Sew up the leg, and roast the same as directed 
for roast beef, cooking the meat an hour and a half. The 
same vegetables as suggested for plain roast mutton are 
suitable for the stuifed leg. 

Roast Veal. 



5 pounds of loin or breast of veal. 
I pint of stale bread. 
3 ounces of salt pork, 
I gill of cracker crumbs. 



I teaspoonful of sweet marjoram. 
y^ teaspoonful of sage. 
Salt, pepper, flour. 



To make the dressing. Soak the bread in cold water for 
two or three hours. Press out nearly all the water ; then 
add one ounce of salt pork chopped fine, one teaspoonful 
of salt, one third of a teaspoonful of pepper, the herbs, and 
crackers. Let this stand while the meat is being washed 
and seasoned. 

The parts of the veal that are good for roasting are the 
loin, breast, and fillet. Veal requires a great deal of season- 
ing, and is almost always stuffed. It must be remembered 



HOW TO COOK MEAT. 121 

that in the loin and breast there is a great deal of bone. 
On the other hand, the fillet has not a particle of waste 
except a small bit of round bone. Veal is delicious cold, 
and the cold roast meat can be prepared in many savory 
ways. For these reasons, if the family do not object to the 
meat in all forms, it would be well to get a roast of good 
size. This is a kind of meat that must be thoroughly 
done ; not even a pinkish tinge should be seen after it 
is cooked. 

For a family of three get a loin or breast weighing 
about four or five pounds. Wash it in cold water and wipe 
it with a clean towel. Rub into it one tablespoonful of 
salt, and sprinkle lightly with pepper. Stuff it, roll it up, 
and skewer it. Place on a rack in the dripping-pan, and 
lay upon it two ounces of salt pork cut in thin slices. Cook 
for two hours and a half, following the directions given for 
roasting. 

Any of the following named vegetables may be served 
with roast veal : potatoes, rice, macaroni, spinach, aspara- 
gus, beets, turnips, parsnips, salsify, string beans, shell 
beans, grated horseradish, etc. 

Roast Pork. 

The piece termed the sparerib is the best for roasting. 
Wipe the meat with a damp towel. Season it with salt, 
pepper, and sage, using a teaspoonful of powdered sage to 
four pounds of pork. Follow the directions for roast rib of 
beef, cooking a four or five pound roast for two hours. Any 
of the following named vegetables may be served with roast 
pork : white potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice, hominy, squash, 
turnips, onions, etc. ; and apple sauce always is desirable. 

Roast Ham. 

Prepare the ham the same as for boiled ham ; boiling it 
for only three hours, however, and baking it slowly for 
three hours more. 



122 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 



BROILING. 



There are several modes of broiling : over clear coals, 
before the coals, or under a bed of coals; also under a 
sheet of flame, as in a gas stove. No matter what the fuel 
may be or the mode of broihng, the principles are the 
same. A steak or chop, properly broiled, should have a 
thin, well browned crust. Beyond this crust the meat should 
be red and juicy ; hardly a shade rarer at the centre than 
near the surface. A common mode of cooking a steak is 
to keep it over the coals until one side is rather well done ; 
then turn it, and treat the other side in the same manner. 
The result of following this method is, that as far as the 
heat has penetrated the meat is hard and dry, and if the 
steak be thick it will be almost raw in the centre. 

If the broiling is to be done on a range have the fire 
very bright and clear. Open every draught, that smoke 
and flame may be drawn up the chim- 
ney. Place the piece of meat in the 
double-broiler, and hold it as near the 
coals as possible until the surface is 
brown, turning frequently. It will take 
three or four minutes for this. Now 
raise the broiler several inches above 
the bed of coals, and continue the 
cooking until the meat is done. The 
broiler must be turned often. A good 
rule is to count ten slowly, then turn the broiler. A steak or 
chop, cut a little more than an inch thick, will cook rare in 
ten minutes ; if liked medium well done, it should be cooked 
for twelve minutes. A chicken weighing about three pounds 
will require slow broihng for half an hour ; or the chicken 
may be broiled over the fire until a rich brown, — say about 
fifteen minutes, — then put it in a shallow pan in a moder- 
ate oven for about twenty minutes. 




DOUBLE-BROILER. 



HOW TO COOK MEAT. 1 23 

Veal and pork must be broiled slowly until cooked thor- 
oughly. Chops or cutlets cut about half an inch thick will 
cook in twelve minutes. 

« Steaks and chops which, before cooking, are dredged 
lightly with salt, pepper, and flour, will be much richer 
than those cooked without any seasoning. Both steaks and 
chops should be served the minute they come from the 
fire. Season them with salt and butter. Never put them 
in the oven for the purpose of melting the butter. It spoils 
the dish. If a steak or chop must wait a little time before 
it is served, keep it warm, but do not add the butter until 
serving time. 

To Broil in a Frying-pan. 

It sometimes happens that one has no means of broiling 
over coals or under heat. The next best thing is broiling in 
a pan. For example, have a steak cut about an inch thick. 
After making a frying-pan very hot, sprinkle in some fine 
salt, and lay the steak in the pan. Cook for two minutes ; 
then lift the steak up and sprinkle the pan with salt. Turn 
the steak and cook for two minutes. Cook the piece of 
meat ten minutes in all, turning every two minutes. Put 
the meat on a hot dish, and season with salt and butter. 

Broiled Chops with Bacon. 

Bacon that is to be broiled should be boneless and fat, 
and the slices should be about as thin as the blade of a 
knife. The bars of the broiler should be very close, what 
is called an oyster broiler being best. 

Place the slices of bacon in the broiler and over a clean 
fire, having all the draughts open. Cook the meat for 
about four minutes, turning constantly. The fat will blaze 
up continually, but will not hurt the bacon if that be turned 
all the while. Put the cooked bacon on a hot plate, and 
keep warm until the chops are cooked. 



124 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

If the chops be cut an inch thick, cook them for nine 
minutes, turning almost continually. Season with salt and 
pepper, and place on a hot dish. Lay a slice of bacon on 
each chop, and arrange the remainder around the dish. 
Serve hot and on hot plates. 

Beefsteak and Onions. 



Steak for broiling. 

I pint of sliced onions. 

I level teaspoonful of salt. 



3 tablespoonf uls of butter or drip- 
pings. 



Pare and slice the onions. Put them in a stewpan with 
two quarts of boiling water and cook for fifteen minutes. 
Drain off all the water. Put the butter or drippings in a 
frying-pan and add the drained onions. Cover the frying- 
pan and place on the range. Cook for half an hour, being 
careful not to burn. Stir the onions frequently. Broil the 
steak rare and lay it on the bed of onions for five minutes, 
having the pan covered ; then place the steak on a hot 
dish, and arrange the onions around it. 

The onions need not be boiled, if a strong flavor be 
liked. 

FRYING. 

The word " frying " may mean either of two modes of 
cooking food : using a common frying-pan, with only a 
small amount of fat, or immersing the article to be cooked 
in a deep kettle of hot fat. 

The first method is unhealthful, extravagant, and trouble- 
some ; the second saves time and is more economical and 
healthful. When a housekeeper once masters this method 
of frying, she will not return to the more unsatisfactory 
and indigestible mode. 

There should be enough fat to float the article to be 
cooked. The fat must be so hot as to harden the surface 



HOW TO COOK MEAT. 1 25 

of the article of food the moment it is immersed, making it 
impervious to the fat or the juices contained in the food 
itself. Different articles of food brown at different tem- 
peratures, so that the frying temperature varies from 345° 
to 400° Fahrenheit. Most mixtures composed in part of 
flour, sugar, milk, or eggs — like fritter batters, doughnuts, 
etc. — may be cooked at 350°; whereas such articles as 
oysters, white -bait, croquettes, etc., require a heat of at 
least 400° . French fried and thin fried potatoes need ten 
minutes' cooking. The fat must have a temperature of 
about 370° when they are put into it, because the potatoes 
should stand in ice-water for some time before they are 
cooked. Moisture will cling to them ; and this, with their 
chilliness, reduces the fat at least 20° as soon as the frying 
begins, making it then 350°. At this heat the potatoes 
may be cooked brown and crisp in ten minutes. As al- 
ready stated, oysters require a heat of 400°. Drop a piece 
of stale bread into the fat; and if the temperature be 
right, the bread will become brown in half a minute. Oys- 
ters and white-bait should be cooked brown and crisp in 
one minute ; longer cooking will make them rather tough 
and dry. A little lower temperature — say 380° — will 
do for croquettes, which should be fried for about two 
minutes. If the temperature be too low, croquettes will 
burst open during the cooking ; particularly rice and potato 
croquettes. 

Put the fat into a deep kettle (that called a Scotch bowl 
being best) and heat it slowly. When the time for frying 
the food is near at hand, set the kettle on the hottest part 
of the range, and watch to see the blue smoke rise from the 
centre of the surface of the liquid. The smoke indicates 
the temperature to be about 350°. Drop a piece of stale 
bread into the fat ; and if one minute be required to brown 
it, the fat may be used at once for frying muffins, dough- 
nuts, fritters, breaded chops, and indeed nearly all articles 
that require three or four minutes' cooking. 



126 MISS tarloa's young housekeeper. 

How to keep Pat. 

When the frying has been finished, take the fat from the 
fire and let it cook sHghtly. Next place a piece of cheese- 
cloth in a colander or strainer, and, after setting this over a 
jar or pail, strain the fat through the cloth. This straining 
never should be omitted ; for, with good care, the same fat 
may be used many times. 

The Kind of Pat to use. 

Olive oil would be the best liquid to use if the matter of 
expense were not to be considered. Any pure, clear fat 
that is free of strong odor will answer. Many folk use mut- 
ton and ham fat, and say that they do not find the flavor of 
the meat in the articles fried ; but others would discover 
the taste at once, and consider it disagreeable. 

But the housekeeper will select the material she will use 
according to her taste and means ; and attention may as 
well be turned now to the conditions which will insure satis- 
factory and comparatively wholesome fried food. In the 
first place, the fat must be perfectly clarified. Even the 
purest and sweetest butter must go through this process 
before being used for frying. Oil and lard, when pure, 
already are clarified. When the fat to be clarified is that 
which has been skimmed from gravies, soups, or the water 
in which corned beef has been boiled, it will contain water 
and other impurities. While there is water in fat the latter 
cannot be heated to a temperature suitable for frying pur- 
poses ; and if there be other foreign substances present, 
such as particles of meat, gravy, flour, or starch, they will 
burn at as high a temperature as 345°, blackening the fat 
and making it unfit for frying articles of food. 

The Prying Basket. 

While it is possible to fry food in deep fat without the 
use of the frying basket, that invention will be found a most 



HOW TO COOK MEAT. 12/ 

valuable aid in this branch of cookery. The basket is 
made of fine wire, and has a bail across the top. Do not 
get one of coarse wire and open meshes. 




THE WAY TO LOWER THE FRYING BASKET. 

After the articles to be fried have been put into it, it 
should be lowered into the fat ; gently, because the parti- 
cles of moisture which chng to the food are instantly "fcon- 
verted into steam, and this would expand beneath the 
surface and force some of the fat from the kettle if the 
basket were lowered quickly. The operation may be per- 
formed safely by hanging the basket on a long spoon or 
fork, and then letting it settle gently in the fat. Do not 
crowd into the basket the articles that are to be fried. 
When the food has been cooked as long as seems necessary, 
lift the basket with the spoon or fork, and, after allowing the 
fat to drip from it, place it on a plate. Remove the cooked 
articles, and lay them on brown paper that has been spread 
on a warm pan. If properly cooked, they will hardly stain 
th'e paper. 

Breaded Chops. 

Mutton or lamb chops may be breaded and served with 
tomato or brown sauce. Have the chops cut an inch thick. 



128 MISS pakloa's young housekeeper. 

Trim them, and season with salt and pepper. Dip them 
in beaten egg and roll in dry bread crumbs. Lay them in 
deep fat for six minutes if they are to be rare done, and 
for ten minutes if to be well done. Slices from the leg may 
be prepared in the same manner. 

Breaded Veal Cutlets. 



I pound of veal, cut from the leg. 

I egg. 

I teaspoonful of salt. 



}i teaspoonful of pepper. 
Dried bread crumbs. 
Fat for frying. 



Have the cutlets about one fourth of an inch thick, and 
cut into pieces about four inches long and three wide. 
Season them with half the salt and pepper. Beat the egg 
in a soup plate, and season with the remainder of the salt 
and pepper. Dip the cutlets in the egg and roll them in 
the bread crumbs. Fry them in deep fat for ten minutes. 
Serve with tomato or brown sauce. 

If you prefer, the cutlets may be fried in pork fat. In 
that case fry two ounces of fat salt pork. Take up the pork 
and put the cutlets into the fat remaining in the pan. 
When brown on one side, turn and brown on the other. 
They should be cooked for fifteen minutes. 

Mutton Cutlets Saute. 



I slice of mutton from the leg, or 

five chops. 
I tablespoonful of butter. 
i^ teaspoonfuls of salt. 



J4^ teaspoonful of pepper. 
I tablespoonful of flour. 
I gill of stewed and strained to- 
mato. 



Trim most of the fat from the chops, and season them 
with half the salt and pepper. Put them in a hot frying-pan 
and cook them for four minutes, turning often. Sprinkle the 
flour over them and cook for two minutes longer, turning 
them twice in that time. Now add the tomato, butter, 



HOW TO COOK MEAT. 1 29 

and the remainder of the salt and pepper. Cook for three 
minutes longer, and serve very hot. 

Breaded Sausages. 



6 small sausages. 

y^ pint of dried bread crumbs. 

The yolk of one q%^j. 



I tablespoonf ul of milk. 
Fat for frying. 



Beat the yolk of the ^gg in a soup plate, then beat into 
it the milk. Prick the sausages with a fork and roll them, 
one by one, in the q%%^ and then in the bread crumbs. 
Arrange them in the frying basket and cook for ten minutes 
in smoking hot fat. Drain and serve. 



MISCELLANEOUS MODES. 
Stewed Shin of Beef. 



4 pounds of shin of beef. 

I small onion. 

I bay leaf. 

I whole clove. 

I sprig of parsley. 

I small slice of carrot. 



^ tablespoonful of salt. 
% teaspoonful of pepper. 

1 Yz tablespoonf uls of butter. 
\% tablespoonf uls of flour. 

2 quarts of boiling water. 



Have the butcher cut the bone into six parts. Wash the 
shank carefully, being sure to remove any particles of meat 
or gristle that are not perfectly sweet. They will be found 
at the small end, if at all. Put the shin in a stewpan with 
the onion, carrot, bay leaf, parsley, clove, salt, pepper, and 
water. 

Place the stewpan on the fire, and when its contents 
begin to boil, skim the liquid carefully, and set the pan 
back where the meat will only simmer for six hours. At 
the end of five hours and a half, dip out one pint of the 
liquid ; and after allowing this partially to cool, skim off 
the fat. 

9 



130 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

Put the butter in a saucepan and place it on the stove. 
When the butter begins to bubble, add the flour, and stir 
the mixture until it is smooth and brown ; then gradually 
add three gills of the cold liquid. Cook for three minutes, 
stirring all the time. Season with salt and pepper, and set 
back where it will keep hot. 

Take up the meat, removing it from the bones ; also 
remove the marrow from the bones. Put the meat and 
marrow into the stewpan with the sauce. Draw the pan 
forward and let its contents boil up oiice. Serve on a hot 
dish with a garnish of potato cubes. 

The remainder of the liquor in which the shin was boiled 
may be used for a soup the next day. 

To prepare the potatoes, pare raw ones, and cut them 
into inch cubes. Put these in a stewpan, and cover with 
boiling water. Cook them for fifteen minutes, counting 
from the time the cover is placed on the stewpan. At the 
end of that time pour off all the water and sprinkle salt 
over the potatoes, — half a teaspoonful to a pint of the 
cubes. Place the stewpan on the fire for about one minute ; 
then shake well. For three persons cook a pint and a half 
of cubes. 

Pot Roast. 



3 pounds of a tough piece of 

beef. 
l]4, teaspoonfuls of salt. 
}( teaspoonful of pepper. 



2 level tablespoonfuls of flour. 

I whole clove. 

I pint of boiling water. 

I gill of cold water. 



Wipe the meat and season it with the salt and pepper. 
Put it in an iron or granite-ware stewpan, and set it on a 
part of the range where it will brown slowly. Turn it fre- 
quently. Cook the meat in this manner for thirty minutes. 
Now add a gill of boiling water, and draw the stewpan to a 
part of the range where the contents will cook slowly for 
four hours. Add a gill of boiling water whenever the liquid 



HOW TO COOK MEAT. 131 

in the stewpan becomes low. When the meat has been 
cooking for three hours, mix the flour smoothly with a gill 
of cold water, and turn into the gravy in the stewpan. Add 
enough boiling water now to make the full pint ; the whole 
clove also may be added. Cook the meat an hour longer ; 
then serve on a warm platter, with a part of the gravy 
poured over it. Serve the remainder of the gravy in a 
bowl. 



Braised Beef. 



3 pounds of beef. 

2 ounces of fat salt pork. 

2 tablespoonfuls of flour. 

3 teaspoonfuls of salt. 

y^ teaspoonful of pepper. 



lYz pints of water. 

2 tablespoonfuls of minced onion. 

2 tablespoonfuls of minced carrot. 

2 whole cloves. 

I sprig of parsley. 



Cut the pork into thin slices and fry until brown and 
crisp. Take out the pork, and, putting the vegetables into 
the fat remaining in the pan, cook slowly for fifteen minutes. 

Rub half the pepper and two teaspoonfuls of the salt 
into the piece of meat, and place it in a deep granite-ware 
pan. When the vegetables are cooked, put them with the 
meat, first pressing from them as much fat as possible. 
Into the fat remaining in the pan put the flour, and stir 
until it becomes a dark brown. Add the water gradually, 
stirring all the while. Season this gravy with the remainder 
of the salt and pepper, and boil for five minutes ; then 
pour over the meat in the pan. Add the cloves and parsley. 
Cover the pan and set in a very moderate oven. Cook for 
five hours, basting every half- hour with the gravy in the 
pan. The oven must never be so hot that the gravy will 
bubble. 

This long, slow cooking will make the toughest piece of 
meat tender ; but if it be cooked too fast, the meat will be- 
come hard, dry, and stringy. Any of the tough pieces can 
be used for this dish. 



132 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

Veal, mutton, chicken, and turkey all can be cooked in 
this manner. With the light meats use a little celery, if 
convenient. 

Beefsteak Roll. 



^ pint of strained tomato. 

I egg. 

i]4, pounds of round steak. 

4 tablespoonfuls of pork fat or 

beef drippings. 
I tablespoonful of butter. 
%, cupful of cracker crumbs. 



1% pints of water. 

2 tablespoonfuls of flour. 

% teaspoonful of thyme. 

i}i teaspoonfuls of salt. 

y^ teaspoonful of pepper. 

I tablespoonful of minced onion. 



Have the steak cut thin. Make a dressing by mixing 
together the cracker crumbs, thyme, half a teaspoonful of the 
salt, half the pepper, the butter, a little more than a gill of 
cold water, and the tgg, well beaten. Season the slice of 
steak with half a teaspoonful of salt, and a little of the 
pepper. Spread the dressing on it, and roll up. Wind soft 
darning cotton around the roll, to keep it in place. 

Put the pork fat in a frying-pan, and set on the fire. 
Dredge the roll with flour, and place it in the hot fat. Cook 
until brown on all sides, then place it in a stewpan. Put 
the onion and a tablespoonful of flour into the fat remaining 
in the pan. Stir until brown ; then gradually add the scant 
pint of water, and stir until the sauce boils up. Add the 
remainder of the salt and pepper, and half a pint of strained 
tomato. Strain this on the beefsteak rofl. Cover the stew- 
pan, and place where the sauce will bubble at one side 
for three hours. When done, take up, remove the strings, 
and place the roll on a warm dish. Pour the sauce over it, 
and serve. 

This dish is suitable for luncheon or dinner. Any of 
the following named vegetables may be served with it : 
potatoes, rice, hominy, carrots, turnips, cabbage, or mac- 
aroni. 



HOW TO COOK MEAT. 1 33 



Beef Olives. 



I %, pounds of round of beef. 
%, pint of cracker crumbs. 
I Yz teaspoonf uls of salt 
Y2, teaspoonf ul of pepper. 



3 tablespoonfuls of flour. 

3 ounces of salt pork. 

y^ teaspoonful of thyme. 

^ teaspoonful of summer savory. 



Have the beef cut in a thin slice. Cut all the fat from 
this and chop it fine. Mix together the cracker crumbs, 
chopped fat, half a teaspoonful of salt, one sixth of a tea- 
spoonful of pepper, the herbs, and a gill of cold water. 
Cut the slice of beef in pieces about four inches long and 
three wide. Season the meat with the remainder of the 
salt and pepper. Spread the cracker dressing on these 
strips of meat and then roll them up. Tie them with soft 
darning cotton and then roll them in the flour. Cut the 
pork in slices and fry until crisp and brown. Take out 
the pork and lay the olives in the fat remaining in the pan. 
Fry on all sides until brown ; then put the olives in a small 
stewpan. Put into a frying-pan such flour as remained 
after the olives were rolled, and stir until brown. Grad- 
ually pour upon this one pint of cold water. Stir until it 
boils and then pour over the olives. Cover the stewpan 
and place where the contents will just bubble at one side 
for two hours. At serving time take up the olives, remove 
the strings, and arrange in the centre of a warm platter. 
Free the gravy from fat and pour over the olives. The 
dish may be served plain or with a border of either boiled 
rice, mashed potatoes, or strips of toast. 

Hamburg Steaks. 



I pound of round, shoulder, or 
flank of beef. 



% teaspoonful of pepper. 
I teaspoonful of salt. 



Have the butcher chop the meat very fine. Season it 
with the salt and pepper and make it into small cakes about 



134 



MISS PARLOA S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 



half an inch thick. Rub the bars of the broiler with a bit 
of fat and lay the cakes in it. Broil over clear coals for six 
minutes, if the steaks be liked rare ; or eight minutes, if 
to be well done. Place on a hot dish and season with but- 
ter and salt. Another method is to put into a frying-pan 
about a tablespoonful of butter or pork fat and cook the 
steaks for eight minutes. Place the steaks on a hot dish, 
and into the pan in which they were cooked put one table- 
spoonful of butter and half a tablespoonful of flour. Stir 
until smooth and brown ; then add a gill of cold water, 
stirring all the time. Season this sauce with half a tea- 
spoonful of salt and a little pepper. A gill of strained 
tomatoes will be an improvement. Pour the sauce over the 
steaks and serve at once. 



Beef Stew from the Cold Roast. 



The bones of the roast. 

About a pound and a quarter of 

meat. 
5 tablespoonfuls of liquid fat. 

1 large onion. 

2 tablespoonfuls of minced carrot. 



2 tablespoonfuls of minced celery. 

i]4 tablespoonfuls of flour. 

2 level teaspoonfuls of salt. 

% teaspoonful of pepper. 

I pint of boiling water. 

I pint of sliced potatoes. 



Take the bones and the tough pieces left from a cold 
roast of beef. After cutting all the meat from the bones, 
remove all the fat from the meat and put it on the fire in a 
frying-pan. Cut the lean meat into small pieces. Place 
the bones in a stew-pan and lay the meat on top of them. 
Take from the frying-pan five tablespoonfuls of liquid fat 
and put it in another frying-pan. Add the minced vege- 
tables, and cook slowly for half an hour. At the end of 
that time draw the pan forward to a hotter part of the 
range and cook rapidly for three minutes, stirring all the 
time. Now draw the vegetables to one side of the pan and 
press out the fat, then put the vegetables in the stewpan. 
Put the flour into the fat remaining in the pan, and stir 



HOW TO COOK MEAT. I35 

until it becomes smooth and brown ; then add the water, 
and stir until it boils. Add the salt and pepper and cook 
for three minutes. Pour this gravy into the stewpan, and, 
covering the pan, set it back where the contents will just 
bubble at one side for two hours and a half. The potatoes 
are then to be added and the stewpan brought forward to 
a hotter place. At the end of half an hour the stew will 
be done. Remove the bones and serve the stew on a 
warm dish. It may be garnished with a circle of small 
baking powder biscuit, or with dumplings. 

Stew from Cold Lamb or Mutton. 

With the bones and tough pieces of cold lamb or mutton 
a stew can be made the same as beef stew with cold roast 
beef. If you have the small white turnips use a gill of these 
cut in cubes and fried with the other vegetables. 

Creamed Dried Beef. 



3 ounces of smoked dried beef. 
I heaping tablespoonf ul of butter. 



I teaspoonful of flour. 
1%. gills of milk. 



Have the beef cut in slices as thin as shavings, and put 
it in a bowl. Pour upon it one pint of boiling water, and 
let it stand for two minutes ; then turn off the water and 
drain the beef dry. Put the butter on the fire, in a frying- 
pan, and when it becomes hot add the beef. Cook for 
three minutes, stirring all the time. Now pour on one 
gill of cold milk. Mix the half-gill of milk with the flour, 
and stir it into the cooking mixture. Cook for two minutes, 
and serve. 

Frizzled Smoked Beef. 



2 ounces of dried smoked beef. 

3 eggs. 



I gill of milk. 

I tablespoonful of butter. 



136 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Have the beef shaved thin and then cut it into small 
bits. Beat the eggs well, and add the milk to them. Put 
the butter on the fire, in a frying-pan, and when it becomes 
hot, add the beef. Stir the meat for three minutes ; then 
draw the pan back to a cooler place and add the eggs and 
milk. Stir constantly until the egg begins to thicken ; then 
turn into a warm dish and serve. 

Veal Olives. 

In making veal olives use a tablespoonful of butter in the 
cracker dressing, as there will be no fat to cut from the 
veal. Add half a dozen celery seeds when the gravy is 
put with the olives. With these exceptions proceed exactly 
as for beef olives. 

Veal Cutlets Saute. 



1 slice of veal from the leg. 

2 ounces of fat salt pork. 
I tablespoonful of flour. 

I gill of strained tomatoes. 



I generous gill of cold water. 
)^ teaspoonful of pepper. 
\% teaspoonfuls of salt. 



Nick the edge of the cutlet with a sharp knife ; this will 
keep the slice flat. Cut the pork in slices and cook slowly 
in the frying-pan for fifteen minutes. Draw the pan forward 
to a hotter part of the range and take up the pieces of pork. 
Season the cutlet with half the pepper and salt, and lay it in 
the hot fat. Cook slowly for fifteen minutes, turning fre- 
quently. Now take up the meat and put the flour into the 
gravy remaining in the pan. Stir until it turns dark brown ; 
then add the cold water, tomatoes, salt, and pepper, stirring 
all the while. Cook the sauce for five minutes ; then lay 
the fried cutlet in it and cover the pan. Set back where 
the sauce will hardly bubble at one side for half an hour. 
At end of that time place the cutlet on a hot dish and 
strain the sauce over it. Serve at once. 



HOW TO COOK MEAT. 



137 



Fricassee of Veal. 



1 pound of veal. 

2 ounces of fat salt pork. 
^ teaspoonful of pepper. 
y^ teaspoonful of salt. 



2 tablespoonfuls of flour. 

3 gills of water. 

I gill of strained tomatoes. 



Cut the pork in thin slices and fry brown. Have the 
veal cut in small, thin pieces. Season it with the salt and 
pepper, then roll it in the flour. Take the pork from the 
pan and lay the slices of veal in the hot fat. Let them fry 
until they have a good brown color, turning them when 
brown on one side. Take up the veal and stir the remain- 
der of the flour into the fat. When the flour is brown, add 
the cold water, stirring all the time. When this gravy 
boils up put the browned veal into it and simmer for half 
an hour. Add the tomatoes and boil up once. 

The flavor and appearance of this dish may be varied by 
changing the gravy. Measure the water generously, and 
omit the tomatoes, and you have a simple brown fricassee. 
Be scant in the measurement of water and tomatoes, adding 
the tomatoes to the gravy when the meat is put in ; then, 
at the end of half an hour, add a gill of milk, and boil up 
once, and you have a bisque of veal. Or you may omit 
the tomatoes, and at the end of the half-hour add a gener- 
ous gill of milk, and you have a white fricassee. In this 
case do not brown the flour when it is added to the fat. 



Ragout of Mutton. 



2 pounds of mutton from the 
shoulder or breast. 

1 pint of turnip cubes. 
^ pint of carrot cubes. 

2 tablespoonfuls of minced onion. 
I tablespoonful of butter. 



I tablespoonful of flour. 
I tablespoonful of corn-starch. 
I level tablespoonful of salt. 
Yi teaspoonful of pepper. 
\% pints of water. 



138 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Have the mutton free from bones. Cut off all the fat 
and put it in the frying-pan and on the fire. Cut the meat 
into pieces about two inches square. When there is about 
five tablespoonfuls of liquid fat in the pan, take out the 
solid pieces and move the pan to a part of the range where 
the fat will become smoking hot. Now put in the mutton, 
and stir until it becomes brown, — which will be in about 
six minutes. Take the meat from the fat and put it into a 
stewpan. Put the turnips, carrots, and onion in the fat re- 
maining in the pan and cook for ten minutes, being careful 
not to brown them. Press all the fat from the vegetables 
and put them in the stewpan with the meat. Now, after 
pouring all the fat from the pan, put in the butter and flour, 
and stir until the mixture becomes smooth and dark brown ; 
then draw back to a cooler place and gradually stir in one 
pint and a half of water. When this boils up add" it to 
the contents of the stewpan. 

Mix the salt, pepper, corn- starch, and a gill of cold water. 
Stir this mixture into the stewpan. When the ragout boils, 
skim it, and move the stewpan back where the contents 
will bubble gently at one side for three hours. Serve 
very hot. 

If you choose, a pint of potato cubes can be added the 
last half- hour. 

Blanquette of Cold Meat. 



I pint of cold white meat. 
I gill of milk or cream. 
i]4. gilis of stock. 
I teaspoonful of salt. 



I % teaspoonf uls of pepper, 
i^ tablespoonfuls of butter. 
I tablespoonful of flour. 



Veal, lamb, or any kind of poultry, will answer for this 
dish. Have the meat free from fat and bone, and cut into 
dainty pieces. Season it with half the salt and pepper. 
Put the butter in a frying-pan and set on the fire. When 
hot, add the flour, stirring until the mixture is smooth and 



HOW TO COOK MEAT. 1 39 

frothy; then gradually add the stock. Cook for two 
minutes ; then add the milk and cold meat, and simmer 
gently for fifteen minutes. Turn out on a warm dish and 
garnish with rice, toast, or pastry cakes. A teaspoonful 
of lemon juice, added just as the blanquette is being 
removed from the fire, is an addition that pleases most 
tastes. A teaspoonful of curry-powder may be stirred 
into the butter when the flour is added, thus changing 
the dish to a delicate curry. 



Pork Chops. 



1%, pounds of pork steak. 
i]4, teaspoonfuls of salt. 
^ teaspoonful of pepper. 



J^ pint of strained tomatoes. 
I tablespoonful of flour. 



. Season the chops with one teaspoonful of the salt and half 
the pepper. Put them in a hot frying-pan and cook them 
rather slowly for twenty minutes. Take up the chops and 
stir the flour into the fat remaining in the pan. When the 
mixture is smooth and frothy, add the strained tomatoes 
and simmer for five minutes. Season with the remainder 
of the salt and pepper. Arrange the chops on a warm 
dish and pour the sauce around them. 

If a plain brown sauce be preferred, substitute cold water 
for the tomatoes. 

Fried Salt Pork. 

Have the slices cut about one fourth of an inch thick. 
Drop them into boiling water and cook for five minutes. 
After draining the pieces of pork, put them in the frying- 
pan and set them on the fire. Let them cook slowly at 
first ; then draw the pan to hotter part of the range, and 
cook more rapidly until they are crisp and brown. Draw 
the pan back, and, taking up the pork, arrange it on a hot 
dish. 



140 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

Pour all the pork fat, except about two tablespoonfuls, 
into a bowl. Put the pan back on the fire, and into the 
fat remaining put one tablespoonful of flour. Stir until 
the mixture is smooth and brown ; then gradually add half 
a pint of cold water. Simmer for three minutes, and then 
taste to be sure it is salt enough. Serve this gravy in a 
sauce bowl. 

A brown sauce made in this manner is much more 
healthful and appetizing than the clear pork fat. 

Salt Pork in Batter. 



6 slices of pork. 

3 tablespoonfuls of flour. 

5 tablespoonfuls of milk. 



I egg. 

% teaspoonf ul of salt. 



Have the pork cut in thin slices. Drop it into boil- 
ing water and cook for two minutes. Take it up and 
drain ; then put it in a frying-pan, and, setting it on the 
fire, cook until it turns a delicate brown, which should 
be in five minutes. Draw the pan back and take up the 
pork. 

Make a batter with the flour, milk, salt, and egg. Dip 
the pork in the batter. Have the pork fat hot, and lay the 
masked pork in it. Cook until brown on one side ; then 
turn and brown on the other. Serve at once. 



Sausage Cakes. 



I pound of fresh pork. 
% pint of stale bread. 
^ teaspoonful of pepper. 



}i tablespoonful of salt. 

yi teaspoonful of powdered sage. 

^ teaspoonful of powdered thyme. 



Have the meat one fourth fat and three fourths lean, and 
chopped fine. Soak the bread in cold water until it is 
soft, then press out all the water. Mix the seasonings and 
the bread with the meat. When all the ingredients are 
thoroughly combined, shape into small flat cakes, and fry 



HOW TO COOK MEAT. I4I 

until brown on both sides. It will take twenty minutes to 
cook the cakes thoroughly. 

Stewed Kidneys. 



I beef kidney, or two pairs of 

sheep or lambs'. 
I pint of water or stock. 
I teaspoonful of salt. 



% teaspoonful of pepper. 
I tablespoonful of butter. 
I level tablespoonful of flour. 
I teaspoonful of lemon juice. 



Draw the thin, white skin off the kidneys ; then cut 
them into thin, round slices, removing the hard, white sub- 
stance. Wash them, and soak them in salted water for 
half an hour. At the end of that time put them in a stew- 
pan with the pint of water. Place on the fire ; and when 
they begin to boil, skim carefully. Draw the stewpan to 
a part of the range where the water will only bubble gently 
for two hours. At the end of that time put the butter in 
a small pan, and set over the fire. Add the flour, and stir 
until the mixture is smooth and brown. Stir this into the 
pan containing the kidneys. Now add the seasonings, and 
simmer for half an hour longer. Serve toasted bread with 
the kidneys. 



Kidneys Saute. 



2 pairs of sheep's kidneys. 
I tablespoonful of butter. 
^ tablespoonful of flour. 
I gill of stock or water. 



I teaspoonful of lemon juice. 
I teaspoonful of salt. 
% teaspoonful of pepper. 



Prepare the kidneys as for stewing. Drain and wipe 
them. Put the butter and flour in a frying-pan, and set 
on the fire. Season the kidneys with the salt and pepper. 
Put them into the pan with the butter and flour, and cook 
for two minutes, stirring all the time. Add the stock or 
water, cold. Stir until this boils up, then add the lemon 
juice. Turn the saute into a warm dish, and garnish with 
points of crisp toast. 



142 MISS PARLOAS YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 
Broiled Kidneys. 



2 pairs of sheep or lambs' kidneys 
2 tablespoonfuls of butter. 
I teaspoonful of lemon juice. 



I teaspoonful of salt. 

X teaspoonful of pepper. 

Flour. 



Draw the thin skin off the kidneys ; then cut each kid- 
ney almost in two. Cut out the hard, white substance from 
the centre. Wash the kidneys and soak them in salt and 
water for half an hour. At the end of that time wipe them 
dry. Melt one table spoonful of the butter and add the 
lemon juice, salt and pepper to it. Dip the kidneys in 
this ; then roll lightly in flour, and, placing them in the 
broiler, cook over clear coals for isix minutes. Arrange on 
a hot dish and season with the remaining tablespoonful 
of butter ; or, instead of the plain butter, use two table- 
spoonfuls of maitre d'hotel butter. 

The kidneys may be rolled in fine bread crumbs instead 
of flour. 

Stewed Sheep's Hearts. 



2 sheep's hearts. 

2 ounces of fat salt pork. 

2 tablespoonfuls of minced onion. 

I teaspoonful of salt. 



2 tablespoonfuls of flour. 
X teaspoonful of pepper. 
I Yz pints of water. 



Split and wash the hearts. Season them with half the 
pepper and salt, and roll them in the flour. Fry the pork 
in the frying-pan. Put the onions with the fried pork 
and cook for ten minutes. At the end of that time take 
the pork and onions from the frying-pan and put them in 
the stewpan. Lay the hearts in the frying-pan, and cook 
until they are brown on one side ; then turn them and 
brown the other side. After that, put them in the stew- 
pan. Pour the hot water into the frying-pan and stir 
until all the sediment is mixed with it, then pour it over 
the hearts. 



HOW TO COOK MEAT. I43 

To the flour left after the hearts were rolled, add two 
tablespoonfuls of cold water, and stir until the mixture be- 
comes perfectly smooth, when it should be stirred into the 
gravy in the stewpan. Add the remainder of the salt and 
pepper, and place the stewpan where the gravy will bubble 
gently at one side for three hours. The hearts will be 
tender and delicious if the cooking be slow, but if the 
gravy be allowed to boil hard, the meat will be tough and 
unsatisfactory. 

At serving time arrange the hearts on a dish and strain 
the gravy over them. Serve boiled rice with this dish. 

Pried Liver and Bacon. 



2 ounces of breakfast bacon. 
^ pound of liver. 



I teaspoonful of salt. 
}4 teaspoonful of pepper. 



Have the bacon cut in as thin slices as possible and keep 
it cold until the time to cook it. Have the liver cut into 
slices about one third of an inch thick. If it be calf or 
sheep's liver, wash it in cold water and let it drain ; but 
if it be beef liver, after washing it, cover with boiling water 
and let it stand for five minutes ; then drain it. 

Put the pieces of bacon into a hot frying-pan and turn 
them constantly until they are crisp ; then take them up. 
Draw the pan back to a cooler part of the range, and, lay- 
ing the slices of bacon in the hot fat, cook them for eight 
minutes, turning often. Season with the salt and pepper. 
Arrange the liver on a warm platter and garnish with the 
bacon. 

Remember that slow cooking spoils bacon, and rapid 
cooking hardens and ruins liver. 

Calf's Liver Saute. 



1 pound of calf's liver. 

2 tablespoonfuls of butter. 
2 tablespoonfuls of flour. 
i^ teaspoonfuls of salt. 



X teaspoonful of pepper. 

I tablespoonful of lemon juice. 

}4 pint of water. 



144 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Cut the liver in slices one third of an inch thick, and 
wash and wipe them. Season with one teaspoonful of the 
salt and half the pepper. 

Put the butter into a frying-pan and set on the fire. 
When it becomes hot, stir in the flour, and then lay the 
slices of liver in the pan. Cook slowly for six minutes, 
turning often. At the end of that time add the water, 
stirring all the while. When this boils up, add the re- 
mainder of the salt and pepper and the lemon juice, and 
cook gently for two minutes. 

The lemon juice may be omitted and milk be substituted 
for the water in making the sauce. Pig, sheep, and lamb's 
liver can be treated in the same manner. 

Chicken Livers en Brochette. 

4 chicken livers. 

8 slices of breakfast bacon. 

Cut the bacon as thin as possible. Cut the livers in two 
parts, and after washing them, season them with salt and 
pepper. Fold each piece of liver in a slice of bacon and 
fasten with a small bird skewer. Broil over clear coals for 
ten minutes. Remove the skewers and serve the liver and 
bacon on slices of toast. 



Broiled Tripe. 



I pound of tripe. 

I tablespoonf ul of butter. 

^ teaspoonful of salt. 



X teaspoonful of pepper. 
A little flour. 



Wash and drain the tripe. If it has been in pickle, put 
it in a saucepan with cold water enough to cover it, and 
place on the fire. Simmer gently for half an hour. If 
milk be plentiful use half milk and half water. If the tripe 
has not been pickled, fifteen minutes will be enough time 
for the simmering. Take it from the hot liquid and drain. 



HOW TO COOK MEAT. 1 45 

Melt the butter in a soup plate. Add the salt and pepper 
to it and then roll the piece of tripe in the mixture. Dredge 
the tripe with flour and broil over a hot fire for six minutes. 
Serve at once. 

Tripe may be broiled without using the butter and flour, 
but it is apt to be dry. Get the thick, juicy part for 
broiling. 



Fried Tripe. 



1 pound of tripe. 

2 tablespoonfuls of drippings. 
2 tablespoonfuls of flour. 



I level teaspoonful of salt. 
}^ teaspoonful of pepper, 
I gill of water or milk. 



Wash the tripe and cut it into small pieces. Season it 
with salt and pepper and roll it in the flour. Put the drip- 
pings in the frying-pan and set on the fire. When hot, lay 
in the tripe, and cook for ten minutes, browning both sides. 
Take up the tripe, and into the fat remaining in the pan 
scrape such part of the flour as did not adhere to the tripe. 
Stir the mixture, and then add the cold water or milk. 
Cook for two minutes. Taste, to see if seasoned enough, 
because more salt and pepper may be needed. Strain this 
gravy over the tripe, and serve. If any one of the following 
named seasonings be hked it may be added to the gravy : 
half a teaspoonful of onion juice, one tablespoonful of 
tomato catsup, one teaspoonful of lemon juice, or one tea- 
spoonful of vinegar. 

Tripe Fried in Batter. 

I pound of tripe. 
6 tablespoonfuls of drippings. 
3 tablespoonfuls of flour. 
5 tablespoonfuls of milk. 



I 

I teaspoonful of salt. 
X teaspoonful of pepper. 



Cut the tripe in small squares and season it with half the 
salt and pepper. Pour the milk on the flour, and beat 



10 



146 MISS PARLOA S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

to a smooth paste. Add the egg, well beaten, and the 
remainder of the salt and pepper, and beat for two minutes 
longer. Have the drippings smoking hot in the frying-pan. 
Dip the tripe in the batter and lay it in the hot fat. When 
brown on one side, turn and brown on the other. Serve at 
once. 

The tripe may be fried in deep fat. In that case it will 
cook in three minutes. 

Corned Beef Hash. 



I pint of hashed corned beef. 
I pmt of hashed potatoes. 
I teaspoonf ul of salt. 



^ teaspoonful of pepper. 
I tablespoonful of butter. 
I gill of milk. 



Have the meat about one fourth fat and three fourths 
lean. Chop it rather coarse. Chop the cold boiled pota- 
toes a little coarser than the meat and season them with the 
salt and pepper. Mix the potato and meat, stirring with a 
fork. Add the milk, and stir lightly. Put the butter in 
the frying-pan, and when it becomes hot put in the hash, 
spreading it lightly and evenly, but not stirring it. Cover 
the pan and set where the hash will cook slowly and evenly 
for half an hour or more. There should be a rich brown 
crust on the bottom. At serving time fold and turn out on 
a hot dish, and serve on hot plates. 

Hash of Fresh Meat. 

Any kind of meat can be used to make a meat-and-potato 
hash ; but, of course, nothing is so good as corned beef.« 
Cold roast, boiled, or broiled beef, mutton, lamb, veal, or 
tongue can be freed from skin, fat, and bones, seasoned 
highly with salt and pepper, and cooked like corned beef 
hash. Even two or three kinds of meat can be used. If 
it happens that you have a bit of steak, a part of a chop, 
and perhaps a slice of tongue, use them all. 



HOW TO COOK MEAT. 1 47 

Sausage Hash. 



3 cold boiled potatoes. 
2 cooked sausages. 
%, teaspoonful of salt. 



Yi teaspoonful of pepper. 
I teaspoonful of butter. 



Chop the potatoes rather coarse, and the sausage a httle 
finer. Season the potatoes with the salt and pepper, and 
mix the sausage with them. Put the butter in a frying-pan, 
and when it becomes melted put in the hash. Spread 
hghtly in the pan, but do not stir. Cover the pan and set 
on the back part of the range, where the hash will brown 
slowly. Cook for half an hour. Fold it, and, turning out 
on a hot dish, serve at once. 



Baked Hash. 



% pint of hashed meat. 

]^ pint of cold mashed potatoes. 

^ pint of milk or stock. 

3 teaspoonfuls of butter. 



I teaspoonful of flour. 
y% teaspoonful of pepper. 
Yz teaspoonful of salt. 



Use any kind of cold cooked meat. Have it freed from 
fat and bones, and chopped rather fine. Season it with the 
salt and pepper. Put two teaspoonfuls of the butter in a 
small pan and set it on the fire. When the butter is hot, 
add the flour, and stir until the mixture is smooth and 
frothy. Gradually add the milk, and boil for three minutes. 
Add the meat to this, and boil up once ; then put in a 
baking- dish. Spread the mashed potatoes over this and 
dot with the remaining teaspoonful of butter. Bake in a 
moderate oven for twenty minutes. 

Cooked hominy or rice may be substituted for the 
potatoes. 



148 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 



Minced Meat on Toast. 



% pint of cold hashed meat. 
J4 teaspoonful of pepper. 
I level teaspoonful of salt. 
I teaspoonful of flour. 



I tablespoonful of butter. 
I gill of stock or water. 
3 slices of toast. 



Have the meat free from fat and bones and hashed rather 
fine. Mix with it the salt, pepper, and flour. Put it into a 
small stewpan and stir in the stock or water. Cover the 
pan and set it on a part of the range where the hash will 
cook slowly for thirty minutes ; then add the butter, and 
cook five minutes longer. 

Have the toast crisp and brown. Dip the edges in 
boihng water. Cut each slice of toast into two triangular 
pieces. Spread the meat on these, and serve at once. 



Tongue Toast. 



I gill of minced tongue. 

I gill of milk. 

I tablespoonful of butter. 



y2, teaspoonful of floi 
Salt, pepper. 
3 slices of toast. 



ur. 



Use the dry end of a boiled tongue and mince very fine. 
Put the butter on the stove in a small frying-pan, and when 
it becomes hot, add the flour. Stir until smooth and frothy ; 
then draw the pan back to a cooler part of the range, and 
gradually add the milk. Now move the pan to a hotter 
place and cook its contents for two minutes, stirring all the 
time. Add the tongue and seasoning, and simmer for five 
minutes. Toast the bread, and place it on a warm dish. 
Spread a little of the tongue and sauce on each slice, and 
serve at once. 

Meat Cakes. 



I gill of finely minced cold cooked 

meat. 
I gill of mashed potato. 
T tablespoonful of butter. 



^ teaspoonful of salt. 
j\^ teaspoonful of pepper. 
I tablespoonful of sweet drip- 
pings. 



HOW TO COOK MEAT. I49 

Season the meat with the salt and pepper, and beat it and 
the butter into the hot mashed potatoes. Shape into round 
flat cakes and fry brown on both sides, using the drippings 
for frying. 



Sanders. 



% pint of minced cold meat. 
Yz pint mashed potatoes. 
% pint of stock or milk. 
I ^ tablespoonf uls of butter. 
I heaping teaspoonful of flour. 



iX teaspoonfuls of salt. 
X teaspoonful of pepper. 
^ teaspoonful of onion juice. 
I gill of grated bread crumbs. 



Almost any kind of cold cooked meat may be used ; pref- 
erably veal, mutton, or lamb. Season it with half a teaspoonful 
of salt, half the pepper, and all the onion juice. Put one 
tablespoonful of butter in a small frying-pan and set on the 
fire. When hot, add the flour, and stir until brown ; then draw 
the pan back and gradually add the stock or milk, stirring 
all the time. Season with half a teaspoonful of salt and the 
remaining pepper. Put the meat in this sauce. Divide the 
mixture into six parts and put each part into a little baking- 
dish or shell. Season the mashed potatoes with one fourth 
of a teaspoonful of salt and spread it over the little dishes. 
Syrinkle the crumbs over these and dot with the half table- 
spoonful of butter. Bake in a moderately hot oven for fif- 
teen minutes, and serve at once. 

Two potatoes of medium size will make the half-pint of 
mashed potatoes. If you have cold mashed potatoes on 
hand, use them. The crumbs may be omitted. 

Cold boiled rice may be substituted for the potatoes. 

Small Timbales. 



3 gills of hashed cooked meat. 
I level teaspoonful of salt. 
%. teaspoonful of pepper. 
X teaspoonful of onion juice. 



I gill of stock. 

I gill of fine bread crumbs. 
A slight grating of nutmeg. 



150 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Have the meat free from bone, fat, and gristle, and 
chopped very fine. Mix all the seasonings and the bread 
crumbs with it. Now add the stock, and let it stand in a 
cool place for one or two hours. At the end of that time 
beat the egg well and mix it with the other ingredients. 
Butter four small timbale moulds, — small cups will do, — 
and pack the mixture into them. Put them in a pan and 
surround them with tepid water. Lay a piece of thick 
brown paper over the top. Place the pan in a moderate 
oven and cook the timbales for twenty minutes. Turn them 
out on a warm platter, and pour a white, brown, or bisque 
sauce around them. 

This mixture may be cooked in one mould. In that case 
allow ten minutes longer. At no time during the cooking 
should the oven be hot enough to have the water boil. 



Mutton Croquettes. 



y^ pint of finely chopped cold 

mutton. 
2 eggs. 

I gill of milk or cream. 
I tablespoonful of butter. 
Yz tablespoonful of flour. 



I level teaspoonful of salt. 

^ teaspoonful of pepper. 

Yo, tablespoonful of lemon juice. 

A few drops of onion juice. 

Bread crumbs. 

Fat for frying. 



Add the seasoning to the meat. Put the milk in a 
small pan and set on the fire. Beat the butter and flour 
together, and stir into the boiling milk. Now add the 
meat, and cook for two minutes, stirring often. Add one 
of the eggs, well beaten, and take from the fire at once. 
Pour the mixture on a plate and set away to get chilled. 
When it is chilled, shape the croquettes, and bread and 
fry them. 

The second egg and the crumbs are for use in breading. 

Any kind of tender cooked meat may be used instead 
of the mutton. 



HOW TO COOK MEAT. 



151 




M 
H 
H 
M 

a 
o 

o 

o 
g 

Q 
W 

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152 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 



Meat and Potato Croquettes. 



I cupful of cold meat, chopped 

fine. 
I cupful of cold mashed potatoes. 
I teaspoonful of salt. 
j4 teaspoonful of pepper. 



y^ cupful of milk. 

2 tablespoonf uls of butter. 

2 eggs. 

Dried bread crumbs. 

Fat for frying. 



Mix the meat, potatoes, and seasoning. Put the milk and 
butter in a frying-pan, and when the Hquid boils up put in 
the meat and potatoes, and cook for one minute. Beat one 
egg well and stir it into the hot mixture. Take from the 
fire immediately, and, after pouring out on a plate, set away 




CROQUETTES READY FOR SERVING. 

to cool. When cold, shape into cylinders about three 
inches long, and bread and fry. 

The second egg and the crumbs are for ihe breading. 
, Hominy or rice may be substituted for the potatoes. 



Meat Pie. 



Filling, 

i]4 pints of cold meat. 
I pint of stock or water. 
I tablespoonful of butter. 
I teaspoonful of minced onion. 
1 teaspoonful of minced carrot, 
1% tablespoonf uls of flour. 
I teaspoonful of salt. 
Ye teaspoonful of pepper. 



Crust 

}i pint of flour. 

I tablespoonful of butter. 

I tablespoonful of lard. 

I teaspoonful of sugar. 

}i teaspoonful of salt. 

I teaspoonful of baking-powder. 

y, gill of cold water. 



HOW TO COOK MEAT. 153 

Use any kind of cooked unsalted meat, and have it free 
from skin, bones, and fat. Put it in a stewpan. Put the 
vegetables and butter in a frying-pan, and cook for ten 
minutes. At the end of that time take the vegetables from 
the butter and put them with the meat. Into the butter 
remaining in the pan put half a tablespoonful of flour, and 
stir until smooth and frothy. Gradually add the stock or 
water, and stir until the sauce boils. Add this to the meat 
and vegetables, and place the saucepan on the fire. Mix the 
remaining tablespoonful of flour with four tablespoonfuls of 
cold water, and stir into the meat mixture. Add the sea- 
sonings, and cook for fifteen minutes. Turn this into a dish 
that win hold nearly two quarts, and set away to cool. 

Now make the crust. Mix the salt, sugar, and baking- 
powder with the flour, and then rub through a sieve into a 
bowl. Add the butter and lard, and cut and mix through 
the flour, with a knife, until quite fine. Wet with the cold 
water, stirring all the time with the knife. Sprinkle the 
board lightly with flour, and turn out the paste upon it. 
Roll very thin ; then fold and roll again into a thin sheet. 
Fold up, put in a tin pan, and set on the ice for an hour 
or more ; or it may be used at once. Roll the paste into 
the shape of the top of the dish in which the pie is to be 
baked, only about an inch larger on all sides. Cut a small 
slit in the centre of the paste that the steam may escape. 
Cover the prepared meat with this paste, turning in the 
edges. Bake the pie in a moderate oven for one hour. 

The bones and bits of gristle may be boiled in water to 
make a stock. 

How to Clean and Truss Poultry. 

Cut off the head, and then the legs, being careful in the 
latter case to cut in or below the joints. Now cut the skin 
on the back of the neck ; then turn the skin over on the 
breast and cut off the neck. Take out the crop, being par- 
ticular to remove all the lining membrane. Put the fore- 



154 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

finger into the throat and break the hgaments that hold the 
internal organs to the breastbone. Next cut the bird open 
at the vent, beginning under the left leg, and cutting in 
a slanting direction toward the vent. Stop there. Insert 
the hand in this opening, and work around the organs until 
they are loosened from the bones. Gently draw all the 
organs out at once. Put the hand in to learn if either the 
windpipe or lights are left in the body. Cut the oil bag 
from the tail. This is a hard, yellow substance. Now 
singe the bird by holding it over a lighted newspaper. The 
paper should be drawn into a long, fluify piece, then twisted 
lightly. Hold the burning paper over an open fire or a 
coal hod during the operation of singeing. 

Wash the poultry quickly in cold water ; then season it 
with salt, and fill the crop and breast with dressing. Draw 
the skin at the neck on to the back, and fasten it with a 
skewer to the backbone. Turn the tips of the wings under 
the back, and fasten them in that position with a long 
skewer. Pass a short skewer through the lower part of the 
legs, and then through the tail. Tie with long piece of 
twine. Turn the bird on its breast and bring the string 
up around the skewers that hold the neck and wings. Tie 
firmly, and the bird will be ready for cooking. 

Boiled Fowl. 

A boiled fowl is one of the most satisfactory and eco- 
nomical dishes of poultry. The meat can be used in making 
a great variety of dishes, and the water in which the fowl 
was boiled may be used in soups, or for the foundation of 
meat, fish, and vegetable sauces. 

Select a short, plump, fat fowl. Singe and draw it, and 
wash it quickly in cold water. Put it in a stewpan, breast 
down, with boiling water enough to cover it. When the 
water begins to boil, skim thoroughly ; then draw the stew- 
pan back, where the water will bubble at one side of the 



HOW TO COOK MEAT. 



155 



pan, until the fowl is tender. This you can tell by pressing 
the wing back with a fork. If it breaks away from the 
breast readily, the fowl is cooked enough. Take the stew- 
pan from the fire, and set it, with the cover off, in a cool, 
airy place. When cool, take up the fowl and put it away. 
Pour the water into a large bowl and set in a cool place 
for future use. 

If the fowl is to be served hot, take it up when tender, 
place it on a platter and pour over it a little butter, becha- 
mel, or parsley sauce. Serve the remainder of the sa^uce 
in a gravy bowl. 

If the fowl is to be served hot for dinner, boil four ounces 
of mixed salt pork with it. 

The time of boiling a fowl cannot be given, because it 
depends upon the age. A fowl about a year old will cook 
in two hours ; one two or three years old may take three or 
four hours. 

Cold boiled fowl may be used for a fricassee, blanquette, 
salad, pie, creamed chicken, croquettes, etc. 

Roast Chicken. 



1 chicken, weighing four or five 

pounds. 

2 tablespoonfuls of soft butter. 
Salt, pepper, flour. 

Dressing. 

I pint of grated bread crumbs. 
I level teaspoonf ul of salt. 



^ teaspoonful of pepper. 

1 teaspoonful of minced parsley. 
% teaspoonful of powdered thyme. 
^ do. do. sage. 
^ do. do, savory. 
% do, do. marjoram. 

2 generous tablespoonfuls of but- 

ter. 



Have all the materials for the dressing mixed together in 
a bowl, cutting the butter into small bits. Remember that 
there is no liquid used in this dressing. Clean the chicken 
and stuff the crop and body with the dressing. Truss the 
chicken and dredge it with salt. Rub soft butter over the 
breast and legs, and dredge thickly with flour. Place a 
rack in the dripping-pan, and, after laying the chicken on 



156 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

it, put in half a pint of hot water. Set the pan in a hot 
oven and baste the chicken every fifteen minutes, pouring 
over it the gravy in the ,, dripping-pan until every part is 
well moistened, and then dredging lightly with salt, pepper, 
and flour. At the last basting omit the gravy, and moisten 
instead with a tablespoonful of butter dissolved in a table- 
spoonful of hot water; then dredge lightly with flour. 
After the first half- hour the heat of the oven should be 
reduced. It will take an hour and a half to cook a chicken 
weighing four or five pounds. If the tin kitchen be oised, 
the chicken should be prepared and basted in the same 
manner, but it will take fifteen minutes longer to cook it. 
Serve on a hot platter with a garnish of parsley. 

Roast Turkey. 



A turkey weighing eight or nine 

pounds. 
4 tablespoonfuls of butter. 



Salt, pepper, flour. 
Double the amount of dressing 
given for roast chicken. 



Prepare and cook the turkey the same as directed for 
roast chicken ; cooking it, however, two hours and a half. 
It makes a pleasant change to stuff the crop with a mix- 
ture prepared as for sausage cakes. Fill the rest of the 
body with the usual dressing. 



Chicken Gravy. 



i}i pints of cold water. 
I tablespoonful of butter. 
I tablespoonful of flour, 
I teaspoonful of salt. 



%. teaspoonful of pepper. 
The neck, liver, heart, and gizzard 
of the chicken. 



Wash the giblets — that is, the neck, liver, etc. — and 
put them in a stewpan with the water. When the water 
boils, skim it. Simmer for two hours or more. There 
should be about half a pint of liquid at this time. Take up 
the giblets. Mash the liver until perfectly fine, and return 
to the liquid. Put the butter in a small frying-pan and 



HOW TO COOK MEAT. 157 

place on the fire. When hot, add the flour, and stir until 
brown. Pour on this, gradually, the liquid in the saucepan, 
stirring all the time. Season with the salt and pepper. 
Pour this sauce back into the saucepan; cover, and set 
back where it will keep hot. 

When the chicken is cooked, pour the gravy from the 
dripping-pan into this sauce. Serve in a hot dish. 

Turkey gravy is made in the same manner. 



Turkey or Chicken Dressing. 



i]4, pints of stale bread. 
I gill of cracker crumbs. 

I teaspoonful of salt. 
y^ teaspoonful of pepper. 



y^ teaspoonful of sage. 
^ teaspoonful of savory. 
^ teaspoonful of marjoram. 
3^ teaspoonful of thyme. 
y^ cupful of butter. 



Soak the bread in cold water until soft ; then press out 
all the water. Add all the other ingredients to the bread, 
and mix well. Fill the breast of the turkey or chicken with 
this, and put the remainder in the body of the bird. 

Breaded Chicken. 



A young roasting chicken. 
2 tablespoonfuls of butter. 
I level tablespoonful of salt. 



y^ teaspoonful of pepper. 
I gill of dried bread crumbs. 



Use a chicken weighing about three or four pounds, and 
have it split down the back. Singe and wipe it. Let the 
tips remain on the wings. Turn the wings back and skewer 
them into place. Fasten the neck under the body. Press 
the chicken out flat, and press the legs back on the body, 
skewering them in this position. Season with the salt and 
pepper, and place in a dripping-pan. Rub the soft butter 
over the breast and legs, and then sprinkle the crumbs over 
the chicken. Place the pan in a hot oven and cook for 



158 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

forty-five minutes. Reduce the heat after the first fifteen 
minutes. 

Remember that the chicken is put in the bottom of the 
pan spht side down, and that there is no water or basting 
of any kind used. 

This dish is especially good served with a Tartar sauce, 
but it is very good without any sauce whatever. 



Fried Chicken. 



1 tender chicken. 

2 ounces of salt pork. 

3 tablespoonfuls of flour. 
}4 pint of milk. 



I generous teaspoonful of salt. 
X teaspoonful of pepper. 
I tablespoonful of butter. 



Singe the chicken and wipe it with a damp towel. Cut 
it into handsome joints. Season it with the salt and pepper, 
and roll it in the flour. Cut the pork into thin slices, and 
fry it slowly until all the fat has been extracted, then take 
out the pork. Draw the frying-pan to a hotter part of the 
range, and when the fat begins to smoke lay in the slices of 
chicken. Fry the chicken brown on all sides. It will take 
about half an hour to cook it. When it is done, arrange it 
on a warm platter. Put the butter with the fat remaining 
in the pan, and add all the flour that did not cling to the 
chicken, stirring until smooth and frothy. Gradually add 
the milk, stirring all the time. When the sauce boils up, 
taste it, to learn if it requires more salt and pepper. Pour 
the sauce over the chicken and serve. If parsley be liked, 
add to the sauce half a teaspoonful, finely minced. 

Creamed Chicken. 



I pint of cold boiled fowl or 
chicken. 

1 heaped tablespoonful of butter. 

2 level tablespoonfuls of flour. 
I gill of chicken stock. 



I }4 gills of milk or cream. 
y^ teaspoonful of pepper. 
I ^ teaspoonf uls of salt. 
A few drops of onion juice. 



HOW TO COOK MEAT. 1 59 

Have the chicken free from skin, fat, and bones, and cut 
into long strips. Season it with half of the salt and pep- 
per. Put the butter in a frying-pan and set on the fire. 
When hot, add the flour, and stir until the mixture is 
smooth and frothy. Now add the stock, stirring all the 
time, and when this boils gradually add the milk. Season 
the sauce with the remainder of the salt and pepper, and 
the onion juice. Put the chicken in this and simmer for 
ten minutes. 

This dish is suitable for breakfast, luncheon, supper, or 
dinner. 

Creamed Turkey. 

Prepare and serve cold roast or boiled turkey the same 
as chicken. 

Stewed Chicken. 



I chicken or fowl, weighing about 

three or four pounds, 
I tablespoonful of butter. 
I tablespoonful of minced onion. 



3 tablespoonfuls of flour. 
3 pints of boiling water. 
I tablespoonful of salt. 
Yz teaspoonf ul of pepper. 



Singe the chicken and cut it into handsome joints. 
Wash it, and, putting it in a stewpan with the water, place it 
on the fire. When the water begins to boil, skim carefully, 
and draw the stewpan back to a place where the liquid will 
just bubble at the side. Put the onion and butter in a 
small pan and cook gently for twenty minutes. Take the 
onions from the butter and add them to the chicken. Add 
half a tablespoonful of flour to the butter remaining in the 
pan, and cook until smooth and frothy. Add this to the 
stew. Mix the remainder of the flour smoothly with a gill 
of cold water, and stir into the stew. Add the salt and 
pepper. Cook gently for three hours. At the end of this 
time draw the stewpan to a hotter part of the range, and, 
after adding some dumplings, cook just ten minutes after 
the cover is put on the stewpan. 



i6o MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 



Chicken Pie. 



1% pints of cooked chicken. 

1 pint of stock. 

2 level tablespoonfuls of flour. 
2 tablespoonfuls of butter. 



^ teaspoonful of pepper. 
I teaspoonful of salt, 
Half the materials named in the 
rule for delicate paste. 



Have the chicken free from fat, skin, and bones, and cut 
it in delicate pieces. Season it with half the salt and pep- 
per. Put the butter in a frying-pan and place on the fire. 
Add the flour to the melted butter, and stir until smooth 
and frothy. Gradually add the stock, stirring all the time. 
Season with the remainder of the salt and pepper. Stir the 
chicken into the sauce, and turn into the dish in which the 
pie is to be baked. Set away to cool. When it is time to 
finish the pie, roll the paste into the same shape as the top 
of the dish, but a little larger. Make a hole in the centre 
to allow the steam to escape. Cover the meat with this 
and bake in a moderately hot oven for one hour. 



"White Fricassee of Chicken. 
Make this the same as the filling for chicken pie. 



Roast Duck. 

Singe and wash the duck, and then wipe it. Season it 
with salt and pepper, and put half an onion in the body. 
Truss it, and dredge lightly with flour. Roast it in a hot 
oven for half an hour, and serve it with a hot currant sauce. 
This time will cook the duck rare, which is the proper way 
to cook all kinds of ducks. If, however, you prefer to 
have it well done, stuff it, and treat it exactly like roast 
chicken. 



HOW TO COOK MEAT. l6l 

Roast Grouse. 



I grouse. 

1 small onion. 

2 tablespoonfuls of soft butter. 



I ounce of fat salt pork. 
Salt, pepper, flour. 



Cut off the neck and wings close to the body. Cut off 
the feet in the joints, or just below j see that all the feath- 
ers are removed ; then draw the bird and wash quickly in 
cold water. Peel the onion and cut it into four parts. Put 
these into the body of the bird and then truss it. Season 
with salt and pepper. Rub the butter over the breast and 
legs of the grouse, then dredge thickly with flour. Have 
the pork cut in thin slices and lay it over the breast, fasten- 
ing it with small skewers or wooden toothpicks. Rest the 
grouse on its back on a tin plate and place it in a hot oven. 
Cook for half an hour, having the oven quite hot the first 
fifteen minutes, and then reducing the heat. When the 
bird is done, remove the skewers. Pour half a pint of 
bread sauce on a hot dish, and place the bird on this, 
breast up. Sprinkle fried crumbs over the bird and sauce, 
and garnish with a few sprays of parsley. 



Roast Partridge. 

Prepare and serve the same as grouse ; but as it is white 
meat it must be well done. Cook it for forty-five minutes, 
and baste it every ten minutes with a gill of hot stock or 
water, in which have been melted two tablespoonfuls of 
butter. 

Roast Ptarmigan. 

Cook and serve this exactly the same as grouse, except 
that it should be cooked but twenty minutes, being smaller 
than grouse. 

II 



1 62 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

Broiled Small Birds. 

All birds that are to be broiled must be split in the 
back ; the necks must be cut off, the birds wiped, and the 
legs drawn up over the breast. This will give a compact 
form to the bird. Now season with salt. Spread soft butter 
over the breast and legs, and then dredge thickly with flour. 
Put in the double -broiler and cook over clear coals, having 
the buttered and floured side toward the fire at first, that 
the two materials may unite and form a paste on the bird. 
Cook quail or squab for ten minutes, and smaller birds six 
or eight. Partridge and grouse may be cooked in the 
same way, but the grouse should be cooked for twenty 
minutes and the partridge thirty. Serve the small birds on 
slices of crisp toast. 

Fricassee of Rabbit. 



I rabbit. 

4 tablespoonf uls of pork fat. 

I pint of water. 



i}^ teaspoonfuls of salt. 
% teaspoonful of pepper, 
6 tablespoonfuls of flour. 



Have the rabbit skinned and drawn. Wash it, and then 
cut into joints- Next season it with the salt and pepper, 
and roll it in the flour, covering every part. Put the fat in 
a frying-pan and set on the fire. When hot, lay in the rab- 
bit and cook it until brown on all sides. When the meat 
is well browned take it up. Into the fat remaining in the 
pan put such part of the flour as did not cling to the rabbit, 
and stir until brown. Gradually add the cold water, stir- 
ring all the time. When this boils up, taste it to see if it is 
seasoned enough ; then lay the browned meat in the gravy 
and simmer gently for half an hour. Serve boiled rice or 
boiled hominy with this dish. 

If one like the flavor of onions or herbs, a little may be 
added to the gravy. 



HOW TO COOK MEAT. 1 63 

Curried Rabbit. 

Prepare the rabbit as for fricassee. Add 10 the gravy 
one teaspoonful of onion juice, one heaping teaspoonful 
of curry-powder, mixed with a Httle cold milk or water. 
Always serve boiled rice with this dish. 

Broiled Venison. 

Have a venison steak cut an inch thick, and cook it the 
same as beefsteak. Season with butter, salt, and pepper. 
Serve currant jelly with the steak. 

Venison Steak Saute. 



I pound of venison steak. 
3 tablespoonfuls of butter. 
I tablespoonful of currant jelly. 



I level teaspoonful of salt. 
-^Q teaspoonful of cayenne. 



Have the steak cut an inch thick. Put the butter in the 
frying-pan and set it on the fire. When hot, put in the 
steak. Cook for ten minutes, turning often. When it has 
been cooking for five minutes add the jelly and seasoning. 
Serve hot. 



CHAPTER XL 

SAUCES FOR MEAT AND FISH. 
Brown Sauce. 



^ pint of brown stock. 

2 tablespoonfuls of butter. 

I tablespoonf ul of flour, generous. 



I teaspoonful of salt. 
% teaspoonful of pepper. 



Put the butter in a frying-pan and set on a hot fire. 
When the butter becomes hot, add the flour, and stir the 
mixture until it becomes smooth and turns dark brown. 
Draw the pan back to a cool part of the range, and stir 
the mixture until it cools slightly. Now gradually add the 
stock, stirring all the time. Move the pan back to a hot 
part of the range, and stir the sauce until it boils. Add 
the seasoning, and simmer for three minutes. It will then 
be ready to serve. 

Brown Sauce, No. 2. 



2 tablespoonfuls of butter, 
i^ tablespoonfuls of flour. 
i}i gills of stock or water. 
I bay leaf. 



I small slice of onion. 
I whole clove. 
y^ teaspoonful of salt. 
Ye teaspoonful of pepper. 



Put the butter in a frying-pan and set on the fire. When 
it becomes smoking hot, add the flour, and stir until it 
turns dark brown. Draw the pan back, and gradually add 
the cold stock or water, stirring all the time. Add the 
other ingredients, and simmer for ten minutes ; then strain 
and use. If there be no stock, and water be used, add a 
teaspoonful of beef extract. 



SAUCES FOR MEAT AND FISH. 



165 



This sauce may be used with roasted or broiled meats, or 
when warming up meats ; or it may be served with baked 
fish. 

Mushroom Sauce. 

Make a brown sauce and add to it half a small can of 
mushrooms, or four ounces of fresh ones. If canned mush- 
rooms be used, simmer them for five minutes, but if fresh 
ones be used, simmer twice as long. Any large mushrooms 
should be cut up. 

White Sauce. 



yi pint of hot milk. 
I large tablespoonful of butter. 
I level tablespoonful of flour. 
I level teaspoonful of salt. 



%. teaspoonful of pepper. 

y^ teaspoonful of onion juice. 

I spray of parsley. 



Beat the butter to a cream, and then beat the flour with 
it until light and creamy. Add the salt, pepper, and onion 
juice, and beat a little longer. Pour the hot milk on this. 
Add the parsley, and place the saucepan on the range. 
Stir until the sauce boils. Cook for two minutes ; then re- 
move the parsley, and serve. A slight grating of nutmeg 
may be added to this sauce, if the flavor be liked. 

This sauce is good to serve with boiled fish and various 
kinds of meat and vegetables. 



Bechamel Sauce. 



^ pint of hot white stock. 

I gill of cream. 

I heaped tablespoonful of but- 
ter. 

I tablespoonful of flour. 

Piece of onion the size of half a 
dollar. 



Piece of carrot the size of a quarter 

of a dollar. 
I spray of parsley. 
I bay leaf. 
A tiny bit of mace. 
% teaspoonful of salt. 
Yd teaspoonful of pepper. 



Beat the flour and butter together. Pour the hot stock 
on the mixture. Add the seasonings, and place on the 



1 66 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

fire. Stir the sauce until it begins to boil ; then move the 
saucepan back to a place where the contents will just bubble 
at the side for fifteen minutes. Add the cream ; and when 
the sauce boils up, strain and serve. 

Mustard Sauce. 



I gill of hot milk. 

I large tablespoonful of butter. 

I teaspoonf ul of flour. 



I level teaspoonful of mustard. 
X teaspoonful of salt. 
A grain of cayenne. 



Beat the butter, flour, and mustard together until smooth 
and creamy. Pour the hot milk on this mixture, and place 
the saucepan on the range. Stir until the sauce boils. 
Add the salt and pepper, and serve. 

This sauce is nice to serve with broiled lobster, roasted 
or steamed clams, and other fish. 



Cream Sauce. 



)^ pint of milk. 

I tablespoonful of butter. 

^ tablespoonful of flour. 



Yz teaspoonful of salt. 
y% teaspoonful of pepper. 



Put the butter in a pan and set it on the fire. When it 
becomes hot, add the flour, and stir until smooth and 
frothy. Draw the pan back and gradually add the milk, 
stirring all the time. Set the pan back in a hotter place. 
Add the salt and pepper, and stir the sauce until it boils ; 
then serve. It will not do to let this sauce simmer or stand 
for any length of time. 

Parsley Sauce. 

Put one teaspoonful of minced parsley with the cream 
sauce. If the sauce be liked richer, a teaspoonful of butter 
may be added with the parsley. 



SAUCES FOR MEAT AND FISH. 167 

Egg Sauce. 



1 hard-boiled egg. 

2 heaped tablespoonfuls of butter. 
I tablespoonful of flour. 



I teaspoonful of salt. 

ys teaspoonful of pepper. 

I scant half -pint of boiling water. 



Boil the egg for ten minutes ; then drop into cold water, 
keeping it there for five minutes. Remove the shell, and 
with a plated knife chop the egg rather fine. Put the butter 
in a small saucepan and beat to a cream. Beat the flour, 
salt, and pepper into this, and then pour on the boiling wa- 
ter. Cook for two minutes, and finally add the chopped 
egg and serve. This sauce is suitable for boiled fish. 

Butter Sauce. 

Make this sauce in the same way as directed for egg 
sauce, omitting the egg. 



Caper Sauce. 



3 tablespoonfuls of butter. 
2 tablespoonfuls of flour. 
}4 pint of water. 



}4 teaspoonful of salt. 
}i teaspoonful of pepper. 
1)4 tablespoonfuls of capers. 



Set on the fire a small stewpan containing two tablespoon- 
fuls of butter. When the butter gets hot, add the flour, and 
stir until the mixture becomes smooth and frothy, being 
careful not to brown it. Draw the pan back and gradually 
add the water. Stir the sauce until it boils ; then add the 
salt, pepper, and the remaining tablespoonful of butter. 
Boil for one minute ; then add the capers, first taking out a 
few spoonfuls of the sauce to pour over the mutton. 

Curry Sauce. 



I heaped tablespoonful of butter. 
I tablespoonful of flour. 
I tablespoonful of curry-powder. 
I teaspoonful of minced onion. 



}i teaspoonful of pepper. 
I teaspoonful of salt. 
J4 pint of milk. 
j4 pint of cooked meat. 



1 68 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Put the butter and onion in a frying-pan and set on the 
fire. Cook slowly until the onion begins to turn a light 
strawcolor. Now add the flour and curry-powder, and stir 
until frothy. Gradually pour in the milk, stirring all the 
while. When the sauce boils up, season with the salt and 
pepper, and add the half-pint of tender cooked meat, cut 
very fine. Chicken or turkey is particularly nice for this 
dish. Less meat can be used. Cook three minutes longer 
and serve with a dish of rice. 

The mode of serving at table is to put a spoonful of rice 
on the plate and pour a spoonful of sauce over it. 



Bisque Sauce. 



3 tablespoonfuls of butter, 
i^ tablespoonfuls of flour. 
I teaspoonful of salt. 
Yz pint of hot stock, — white if 
possible. 



10 pepper-corns. 

I gill of strained tomato. 

I gill of milk. 

I small slice of onion. 

I sprig of parsley. 



Beat the butter and flour in a saucepan until smooth and 
light. Pour upon this mixture the hot stock, stirring all 
the time. Now add the salt, pepper-corns, onion, and 
parsley, and stir until the sauce boils ; then cover, set back, 
and cook gently for ten minutes. Add the tomato, and 
cook for three minutes longer. Finally add the milk, and 
stir until it boils. Strain and serve at once. 



HoUandaise Sauce. 



I tablespoonful of lemon juice. 
3 tablespoonfuls of butter. 
I gill of boiling water. 



Yolks of two eggs. 

Yz teaspoonful of salt. 

xo teaspoonful of cayenne. 



Beat the butter to a cream ; then beat in the unbeaten 
yolks of the eggs. Add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. 



SAUCES FOR MEAT AND FISH. 1 69 

Place the bowl in a pan of boiling water, and beat the 
sauce for two minutes. Add the boiling water, and con- 
tinue beating until the sauce is thick and light. It will 
take about five minutes for this. Serve either in a warm 
bowl, or poured around or over the fish, meat, or vegetable. 



Tomato Sauce. 



3 gills of canned tomatoes. 
I tablespoonful of butter. 
I tablespoonful of flour. 
y^ teaspoonful of salt. 



^ teaspoonful of pepper. 
2 whole cloves. 
A tiny bit of onion. 



Put the tomatoes, onion, cloves, salt, and pepper in a 
stewpan and set on the range. Cook for ten minutes after 
the mixture begins to simmer. Put the butter in a small 
pan and set on the fire. When hot add the flour, and stir 
until smooth and frothy. Stir this into the tomatoes, and 
simmer for four minutes longer. Rub the sauce through a 
strainer fine enough to keep back the seeds. Serve hot. 

Tartar Sauce. 



y^ gill of olive oil. 

4 teaspoonfuls of vinegar. 

I level teaspoonful of mustard. 

y teaspoonful of salt. 

y% teaspoonful of pepper. 



y. teaspoonful of onion juice. 
y tablespoonful of minced capers. 
y tablespoonful of minced cucum- 
ber pickles. 
I egg yolk. 



Beat the egg, salt, pepper, and mustard together until 
thick and light ; then add the oil, a few drops at a time, 
beating after each addition of oil, until all is used. As 
the sauce thickens, add a few drops of vinegar to thin it. 
When the sauce is smooth and thick, stir in the minced 
pickle and capers. ^^ 

Tartar sauce hiay be served with many kinds of breaded, 
fried, and broiled fish or meat. 



I/O MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 



Mint Sauce. 

2 tablespoonfuls of mint. 

I gill of vinegar. 

I tablespoonful of sugar. 

Wash the mint and chop it fine. Put it in a dish with 
the vinegar and sugar, and let it stand for twenty minutes 
or longer. If the vinegar be very strong, half vinegar and 
half water may be used. 

Currant Jelly Sauce. 



I tablespoonful of butter. 
I teaspoonful of flour. 
y^ teaspoonful of salt. 
yi teaspoonful of pepper. 
1 teaspoonful of vinegar. 



I tablespoonful of currant jelly. 

I small bay leaf. 

I clove. 

I teaspoonful of minced onion. 

I gill of stock. 



Cook the butter and onion together for five minutes. 
Add the flour, and stir until smooth and frothy. Gradually 
add the stock, stirring all the time. When the sauce boils 
up, add the other ingredients, and simmer for five minutes. 
Strain, and serve hot. 

This sauce is for roast venison or mutton. 

Maitre d'Hdtel Butter. 



2 tablespoonfuls of butter. 

I tablespoonful of lemon juice. 

Yz teaspoonful of salt. 



X teaspoonful of pepper. 

I teaspoonful of minced parsley. 



Beat the butter to a cream ; beat the lemon juice into 
this ; then add the seasoning and parsley. 

This butter is not to be cooked. It should be spread on 
broiled meats or fish like plain butter. The heat of the 
food will melt it sufficiently. 



SAUCES FOR MEAT AND FISH. 171 

Bread Sauce. 



]^ pint of milk. 

I generous gill of dried bread. 

Yz teaspoonful of salt. 



Ye teaspoonful of pepper. 
I tablespoonf ul of butter. 
Yzoi2L small onion. 



The bread used should be stale, and it should be dried 
in a warm — not hot — oven. When it is so dry that it 
will readily crumble, place it on a bread board, and with 
a rolling-pin crush it lightly ; for about two thirds of the 
bread, when done, should be in the form of coarse crumbs. 
Measure out half a cupful of these crumbs, and, putting 
them in the flour sieve, rub all the fine crumbs through. 
Put these fine crumbs in the double-boiler with the milk 
and onion. Place on the fire and cook for half an hour. 
At the end of that time take out the onion, and add the 
salt, white pepper, and half a tablespoonful of butter. Put 
the remaining butter in a frying-pan, and set the pan on 
the stove. When the butter becomes hot, add the coarse 
crumbs, and stir them until they are brown and crisp. Now 
spread the sauce on a warm dish, and place the bird or fowl 
on the same dish. Sprinkle the crumbs over all, and garnish 
with a few sprigs of parsley. Serve very hot. 



CHAPTER XII. 

SALADS. 

A SALAD should be light, fresh, and crisp ; no matter 
what it is made of, it should never be " mussy." 
Much decoration or handling will produce a heavy-looking 
dish. 

Celery, lettuce, tomatoes, etc. should be thoroughly chilled 
before being combined in a salad. All meats and fish that 
are to be served in a salad must be seasoned with salt, pep- 
per, vinegar, and oil before being combined with the green 
vegetable and the dressing. It is well to have this season- 
ing added several hours before the salad is to be served. 

Mayonnaise Dressing. 



% pint of olive oil. 
I teaspoonful of mustard. 
Yz teaspoonful of salt. 
Yz teaspoonful of sugar. 



1 tablespoonful of lemon juice. 

2 tablespoonfuls of vinegar. 
Yolks of two uncooked eggs. 
A grain of cayenne. 



Put the yolks of the eggs into a bowl, being careful not 
to let any of the white go in. Add the dry ingredients to 
the yolks, and place the bowl in a flat pan. Put a little 
cold water and ice in the pan. Beat these ingredients until 
light and thick ; then begin to add the oil, a few drops at a 
time. Beat well between each addition of oil. When the 
mixture gets thick and ropy, a larger quantity of oil may 
be added each time. When the dressing is so thick that 
the beater turns hard, add a few drops of vinegar to thin 
it. When all the other ingredients have been used add 



SALADS. 173 

the lemon juice, and beat for a few minutes longer. This 
sauce will keep for three or four weeks, if covered and 
kept in a cool place. 

The secret of success in making a Mayonnaise dressing is 
to have everything cold, to beat the yolks of eggs and dry 
ingredients until thick, and at first to add the oil only in 
drops. It is also essential that the beating should be regu- 
lar, and always in one direction. 

If a milder flavor of the oil be liked, a gill of whipped 
cream may be stirred into the dressing when it is about to 
be used. 

Cooked Salad Dressing. - 



1 gill of vinegar. 

2 eggs. 

I tablespoonful of sugar. 



% teaspoonful of mustard. 
yi teaspoonful of salt. 
I gill of rich cream. 



Beat the eggs well, and stir into them the sugar, salt, and 
mustard, which should first be mixed together. Now add the 
vinegar, and place the bowl on the range in a saucepan of 
boiling water. Beat constantly with an egg-beater until the 
dressing becomes thick and light. Take from the fire at 
once, and turn into a cold bowl to prevent curdling ; or the 
bowl in which it was cooked may be placed in a pan of ice 
water, and the mixture be stirred until cool. 

Beat the cream to a thick froth, and stir it into the cold 
dressing. If you have no cream stir a tablespoonful of but- 
ter into the hot mixture. When cold, if too thick, add a 
few tablespoonfuls of milk. 

French Dressing. 



3 tablespoonfuls of oil. 
I tablespoonful of vinegar. 



% teaspoonful of salt. 
^ teaspoonful of pepper. 



Mix these ingredients together and the dressing is made. 
French dressing is particularly good for lettuce and cooked 
vegetables. 



174 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 



Chicken Salad. 



]^ pint of chicken. 
I gill of celery, white and tender. 
I gill of Mayonnaise dressing, 
I tablespoonful of vinegar. 



y^ tablespoonful of oil. 
% teaspoonful of salt. 
^ teaspoonful of pepper. 



Have tender cooked chicken, free from fat, skin, and 
bone, and cut into cubes. Season it with the vinegar, salt, 
pepper, and oil, and let it stand in the refrigerator for an 
hour or more. Clean the celery and cut it into thin slices. 
Put this in a napkin and surround it with ice. It should 
stand for ten or twenty minutes in the ice bath, and will 
then be crisp. 

Mix the celery, seasoned chicken, and half the dressing. 
Heap in a dish and mask it with the remainder of the dress- 
ing. Garnish the dish with some of the tiny, bleached 
celery leaves. 

In summer the salad may be made with lettuce. Put 
two or three tender bleached leaves together, and place a 
spoonful of chicken in the centre of the leaves. Drop a 
teaspoonful of dressing on the chicken. Arrange these let- 
tuce nests on a flat dish, and serve at once. 

Lobster Salad. 

Make the same as chicken salad, substituting lobster for 
chicken and lettuce for celery. 

Fish Salads. \ 

Any kind of cold fish may be combined with lettuce and 
the Mayonnaise dressing or cooked dressing. 

Oysters to be used for a salad should be heated to the 
boiling point in their own liquor ; then skimmed, drained, 
seasoned, and thoroughly chilled before being combined 
with the celery or lettuce. 



SALADS. 



175 



Vegetable Salads. 

Any kinds of vegetables may be used in salads. They 
may be seasoned with the French or cooked dressing. A 
single vegetable may be used, or several kinds be combined. 



Lettuce Salad. 

Have the lettuce washed clean, and then let it remain for 
a little time in ice water to become crisp. Drain well, and 
dress it with the French, Mayonnaise, or cooked dressing. 
Serve at once. 

If you prefer, the lettuce may be served plain, each one 
dressing it to please himself. 

Tomato and Lettuce Salad. 



1}^ pints of canned tomatoes. 
^ box of gelatine. 
I gill of cold water. 
I teaspoonful of sugar. 



}^ teaspoonful of salt. 

I head of lettuce. 

%. pint of Mayonnaise dressing. 



Soak the gelatine in the cold water for two hours. Heat 
the tomatoes to the boiling point, and stir the gelatine, sugar, 
and salt into the vegetable. Turn this mixture into a mould, 
and set away to harden. Have the lettuce washed and 
chilled. Arrange it in a flat dish, and turn the mould of 
tomatoes out upon it. Heap the dressing at the base of 
the mould. This salad may be made in winter when it 
is impossible to get the fresh tomatoes. 



Beet Salad. 

Cold boiled beets may be cut into thin slices, and the 
slices into small pieces ; or the beets may be cut into small 
cubes. Season with Mayonnaise sauce or the cooked salad 
dressing, and serve. 



1/6 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 
Potato Salad. 



I pint of potato cubes. 
^ pint of celery. 
y^ teaspoonful of salt. 
jJ^ teaspoonful of pepper. 
I tablespoonful of vinegar. 



I tablespoonful of oil. 
I tablespoonful minced chives, or 
I teaspoonful of onion juice. 
I gill of cooked dressing. 



Have the potatoes cut into cubes. Mix the oil, vinegar, 
salt, pepper, and onion juice together, and sprinkle over the 
potatoes. Stir lightly with a fork and set away in a cold 
place for several hours. At serving time add the celery and 
dressing, stirring lightly with a fork. Turn into a deep dish, 
and garnish with celery leaves or parsley. 

Potato Salad, No. 2. 



I pint of potato cubes. 

^ teaspoonful of salt. 

yi teaspoonful of pepper. 

I teaspoonful of minced onion. 



I gill of cooked dressing, or the 
quantity of French dressing 
made by the rule given. 



Mix the seasonings and dressing with the potato cubes. 
Turn into a dish, and garnish with parsley. Let the salad 
stand for an hour or more before serving, that the season- 
ings may strike through the potatoes. 



CHAPTER XIII. 
VEGETABLES. 

ALL vegetables should be put in boiling water when set 
on the stove to cook. Peas, asparagus, potatoes, and 
all delicately flavored vegetables should be only covered 
with water, but those with a strong flavor, like carrots, tur- 
nips, cabbage, onions, and dandelions, should be cooked in 
a generous quantity of boiling water. All green vegetables 
should be cooked with the cover partially ofl" the stewpan. 
It gives them a better color and a more delicate flavor. 

The average housekeeper is careless as to the time of 
cooking vegetables, yet a vegetable is as much injured by 
too much or too little cooking as is a loaf of bread or cake. 
When vegetables are underdone they are hard and indi- 
gestible, and when overdone they become dark, strong- 
flavored, and indigestible. 

Now, although a potato will be hard if not cooked 
enough, even two minutes' cooking after the proper time 
will injure it. If potatoes be covered with boiling water 
and placed on the fire they wiU cook in thirty minutes. 
If they be very small, they may get done in twenty-eight 
minutes, and if they be large it may take thirty-two to cook 
them sufficiently. They should be kept boiling all the time 
after they once begin, but not at a furious rate, as a too 
rapid boiling breaks the surface of the potato before the 
centre is cooked. The time of cooking is to be counted 
from the moment the boiling water is poured over the 
potatoes. When the potatoes are done, the water should 
be poured ofl" and the steam allowed to escape. Should 

12 



178 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

it be necessary to keep them warm after that, cover them 
with a coarse towel, never with the pot cover; for if the 
steam does not have a chance to escape it will be ab- 
sorbed by the potatoes, which will become sodden, dark, 
and strong-flavored. Baked potatoes take about forty-five 
minutes for cooking. A great deal depends upon the 
oven. If it be necessary to keep a baked potato w^arm, 
break it open, wrap it in a towel and put it in a warm 
place. 

Now, as to turnips. The small white ones should be 
boiled, if cut in thin shoes, for thirty minutes, but if they 
be cooked whole, forty minutes' time will be needed. Yel- 
low turnips, when sliced, need forty-five minutes' cooking. 

Carrots should be cooked for forty-five or fifty minutes ; 
cauliflower, only thirty minutes; with peas and asparagus 
much depends upon the state of freshness and tenderness 
when picked, and the time varies from twenty to thirty- 
five minutes; indeed, peas sometimes require fifty minutes' 
cooking. 

It is a pity that it is the fashion to serve such vegetables 
as peas and asparagus in a sauce. They have so delicate 
a flavor that only a little salt and good butter should be 
added to them. This is true, also, of turnips. Cauliflower, 
onions, and carrots, however, need a sauce. 

Boiled Potatoes. 

Pare five or six potatoes and let them stand in cold water 
for an hour or more. Forty minutes before dinner time 
put them in a kettle and pour boiling water over them, — 
enough to cover. Put the cover on the kettle and cook 
the vegetables for half an hour, counting from the moment 
the water is poured over them. When they have been 
cooking for fifteen minutes, add one teaspoonful of salt. 
At the end of the half-hour pour ofl" all the water and set 
the pan on the back part of the range. Cover the potatoes 



VEGETABLES. 1 79 

with a clean, coarse towel. At serving time put the pota- 
toes in a hot dish, and cover with a napkin. Never put 
the china cover on the dish. Cooked in the way described, 
the potatoes will be mealy and have a fine flavor. 



Stewed Potatoes. 



1 quart of sliced raw potatoes. 

2 ounces of fat bacon. 

y^ teaspoonful of onion juice. 
X teaspoonful of pepper. 



I level teaspoonful of salt. 
I tablespoonf ul of flour. 
I gill of water. 



Have the potatoes and bacon sliced thin. Spread half 
the meat on the bottom of a round baking dish. Put half 
of the potatoes into the dish and sprinkle half of the season- 
ing over them; then spread in the other half, and use 
the remainder of the seasonings. Mix the water with the 
flour, and pour this into the dish. Now spread the re- 
mainder of the bacon on top of the potatoes. Cover the 
dish closely, and, putting into a moderately hot oven, cook 
for forty-five minutes. At the end of that time take ofl" the 
cover and bake twenty minutes longer. The bacon should 
become crisp and brown at the end of that time. Serve 
in the dish in which it is cooked. 



Stewed Potatoes, No. 2. 



1 quart of raw potatoes, cut in 

cubes. 

2 ounces of fat salt pork. 
I tablespoonful of flour. 



I teaspoonful of salt. 
]i teaspoonful of pepper. 
I pint of water. 



Pare and cut into cubes enough potatoes to make a 
quart, and let them stand in cold water for one hour. 
Cut the pork into thin slices, and fry slowly until crisp 
and brown; then take from the pan. Add the flour to 



i8o MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

the hot fat, and stir until smooth and brown ; then gradu- 
ally add the water, and boil for three minutes. Season 
with the salt and pepper. Drain the potato cubes free 
from water, and, after putting them in a stewpan, pour 
the sauce over them and lay the shces of pork on top. 
Cover the stewpan and place where the contents will just 
bubble for forty- five minutes; then turn into a warm dish 
and serve. 

Potatoes au Gratin. 



1^ pint of cooked potato cubes. 

I gill of white stock. 

y2 gill of milk. 

I teaspoonful of flour. 

lYz teaspoonfuls of butter. 



% teaspoonful of salt. 
Yz teaspoonful of pepper. 
3 tablespoonfuls of grated bread 
crumbs. 



Have cold boiled potatoes cut into small regular cubes. 
Season them with half the pepper and salt. Put one tea- 
spoonful of the butter in a small frying-pan and set on the 
fire. When hot, add the flour, and stir until smooth and 
frothy ; then gradually add the stock. When this boils, add 
the milk and the remainder of the salt and pepper, and boil 
up once. Put a layer of this sauce in a small escalop 
dish ; then put the potatoes in the dish and pour the 
remainder of the sauce over them. Sprinkle the grated 
bread crumbs over this, and dot with the half-teaspoonful 
of butter. Bake in a moderate oven for twenty minutes. 
A few drops of onion juice and one fourth of a teaspoonful 
of chopped parsley may be added to the sauce, if these 
flavors be liked. 

Hashed Potatoes. 



I pint of sliced cold boiled pota- 
toes. 
I teaspoonful of salt. 



» 



5^ teaspoonful of pepper. 
I tablespoonful of butter. 



VEGETABLES. l8l 

Season the potatoes with the salt and pepper. Put the 
butter in the frying-pan and set on the fire. When hot, add 
the potatoes. Stir and cut the potatoes with a case knife 
until they are hashed fine and have become hot and slightly 
browned. Serve in a hot dish. 

Ham, sausage, or pork fat may be substituted for the 
butter. 

Nichewaug Potatoes. 



I pint of potato cubes. 

I tablespoonful of minced ham. 

I teaspoonful of salt. 



^ teaspoonful of pepper. 
I tablespoonful of fat. 



Season the potato cubes with the salt and pepper. Put 
a tablespoonful of ham, bacon, pork, or sausage fat in the 
frying-pan, and set on the fire. When hot, put in the 
potatoes and stir frequently with a fork until they become 
brown. When the potatoes are done, turn them into a hot 
dish and sprinkle a tablespoonful of finely chopped cooked 
ham over them. Serve very hot. 



I pint of cold boiled potato cubes. 
I level teaspoonful of salt. 
^ of a teaspoonful of pepper. 
I level tablespoonful of butter. 



Lyonnaise Potatoes. 

I teaspoonful of finely-minced on- 
ion. 
% teaspoonful of minced parsley. 



Season the potatoes with the salt and pepper. Put the 
butter and onion in the frying-pan, and cook slowly until 
the onion begins to turn a delicate straw-color. Now add 
the potatoes, and cook over a hot fire for five minutes, 
stirring with a fork. Add the parsley, and cook for one 
minute longer. Serve very hot. 



1 82 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

Potato Cakes. 

Shape cold mashed potatoes into round, flat cakes. For 
six cakes put one tablespoonful of butter in a frying-pan, 
and place on the fire. When the butter is hot, put in 
the potato cakes and cook until brown on both sides. A 
tablespoonful of either pork, ham, or sausage fat may be 
used instead of the butter. 

Potato Croquettes. 



3 potatoes of good size. 

4 tablespoonfuls of hot milk. 
I tablespoonful of butter, 

Yi, teaspoonful of salt. 



y^ teaspoonful of pepper. 

I egg. 

Bread crumbs. 



Boil the potatoes for thirty minutes; then drain them 
and mash fine and Hght. Beat in the seasoning, milk, 
and butter. Let the mixture cool slightly; then roll into 
cylinders or balls. Beat the egg in a soup plate. Coat 
the croquettes, one at a time, with the ^<gg, then roll in 
dried bread crumbs. . When all are done, fry in hot fat 
until they are brown, — about a minute and a half. Drain 
on brown paper and serve at once. 

Boiled Sweet Potatoes. 

Potatoes of medium size should be cooked for one hour ; 
very large ones should be boiled for an hour and a half, or 
be cut into several parts. 

Baked Sweet Potatoes. 

Wash the potatoes and bake from an hour to an hour 
and a quarter in a moderately hot oven. The longer they 
bake, the sweeter and moister they will be. 



VEGETABLES. 1 83 

Browned Sweet Potatoes. 

Boil for half an hour three potatoes of medium size. 
On taking them from the water pare them. Now cut 
them in two, lengthwise, and lay them in the pan under 
a piece of roasting meat. Season them with salt, and let 
them cook for half an hour. Serve in a hot dish. 

Or, the potatoes may be boiled for three quarters of an 
hour, paired and split, then laid in a baking pan, sea- 
soned with salt, and finally spiead with soft butter. It 
will take one tablespoonful of butter for three potatoes. 
Bake in a hot oven for twenty minutes or half an hour. 

Warming over Sweet Potatoes. 

Cold boiled sweet potatoes may be warmed in several 
ways. Cut them in halves, season with salt, and put in the 
frying- basket. Fry in deep fat for five minutes ; then season 
with salt and serve. 

Another way is to cut them in thick slices lengthwise, dip 
them in melted butter, season with salt and pepper, dredge 
lightly with flour, and broil over clear coals. Serve on a hot 
dish. 

Still another mode is to cut them in round slices, season 
with salt and pepper, and fry in pork or bacon fat. 

Boiled Onions. 

Put the onions in a saucepan with plenty of boiling 
water and cook for one hour. If milk be plentiful, pour off 
the water when the onions have been cooking for half an 
hour, and add just enough hot milk to cover them. Simmer 
.for half an hour longer; then season with salt, pepper, and 
butter, and serve. 

For half a dozen small onions use one tablespoonful of 
butter, one teaspoonful of salt, and one fourth of a teaspoon- 
ful of pepper. 



1 84 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Creamed Onions. 

Boil three or four onions for one hour in two quarts of 
boihng water into which one teaspoonful of salt has been 
sprinkled. Pour off the water and cut up the onions. Put 
them in a hot dish and pour half a pint of cream sauce over 
them. Serve hot. 

Onions au Gratin. 

Prepare the creamed onions and put them in an escalop 
dish. Cover them with a gill of grated bread crumbs and 
dot with a teaspoonful of butter. Bake for twenty minutes 
in a quick oven. 

Sliced Tomatoes. 

Select smooth, ripe tomatoes. Drop them into boiling 
water for one minute, then into cold water. This will make 
the skin come off easily. Put them on a plate and in a cool 
place, — on the ice if possible. At serving time cut them in 
slices and place on a cold dish. 

Stewed Tomatoes. 



I pint of canned tomatoes. 
Yz gill of fine cracker crumbs. 
^ teaspoonful of salt. 



^ teaspoonful of pepper. 
y^ tablesponful of sugar. 
% tablespoonful of butter. 



Put all the ingredients, except the butter, in a stewpan, 
and cook for twenty minutes. Add the butter, and cook 
for ten minutes longer. 

One pint of fresh tomatoes may be cooked in the same 
manner. The crackers may be omitted. Long cooking 
makes the tomatoes thicker and dark, but for most tastes 
this is not desirable. 



VEGETABLES. 1 85 



Tomatoes au Gratin. 



I pint of stewed tomatoes. 
I gill of dried bread crumbs. 
3 tablespoonfuls of grated bread 
crumbs. 



I teaspoonful of sugar. 
Yz teaspoonful of salt. 
yk, teaspoonful of pepper, 
i)^ teaspoonfuls of butter. 



Reserve the grated bread crumbs and half a teaspoonful 
of the butter. Mix all the other ingredients together and 
turn into a small baking dish. Sprinkle the grated bread 
crumbs over this. Cut the butter into small bits, and 
sprinkle over the crumbs. Bake in a moderately hot oven 
for half an hour, and serve hot. 

Beets, 

Beets, when young and fresh, will cook in forty minutes, 
but as they grow larger they require longer cooking. The 
time has to be increased as the season advances, and in 
winter beets require from two to three hours' boiling. 
Wash them in cold water, being careful not to break the 
skin or little tendrils. Put them in boiling water and cook 
until done, — the time depending upon the season. Lay 
them in cold water and rub off the skin ; then slice them 
into a hot dish, and season with salt and butter. Serve hot. 

Boiled Turnips. 

I quart of white turnip cubes. i level tablespoonful of sugar, 

I tablespoonful of butter. i heaped teaspoonful of salt. 

Pare and cut up enough of the small flat white turnips to 
make one quart. Let them stand in cold water for an hour 
or more. Pour ofl" all the water and turn the turnips into a 
stewpan containing two quarts of boiling water. Cook for 
just thirty minutes and then pour off all the water. Put into 
the saucepan with the turnips, butter, sugar, salt, and one 
gill of boihng water. Place the saucepan on the hottest 



1 86 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

part of the fire and cook the turnips rapidly until all the 
liquid has been absorbed, shaking the pan frequently to 
prevent the turnips from burning. Turn into a hot dish 
and serve. 

Mashed Turnips. 

Pare one yellow turnip or six white ones and cut in slices. 
Put in a large stewpan with a generous supply of boiling 
water. If white turnips be used, cook them for half an 
hour ; but if the yellow kind be taken, cook for fifty or sixty 
minutes. Too little water and too much cooking will make 
any turnips' strong-flavored, and give them a dark color. 
When the turnips are done, drain off all the water and mash 
them well. Season with salt, pepper, and butter. 

Boiled Carrots. 

Scrape and cut into cubes enough raw carrots to make a 
quart. Cook them for one hour in three quarts of .boiling 
water, and then proceed as directed in the rule for boiled 
turnips. White stock may be substituted for the gill of 
boiling water. 

Turnips, carrots, and green peas, cooked in this manner, 
and then mixed together, make a handsome and savory 
dish. 

Success in cooking these vegetables depends upon their 
being boiled in plenty of water, and for only the time men- 
tioned ; also in cooking very rapidly after the seasonings are 
added. 

Parsnips. 

Scrape and slice the parsnips, and let them stand in cold 
water for an hour or more. Drain them and put them in 
a stewpan with plenty of boiling water. Cook them, if fresh, 
for forty-five minutes ; but if they have been out of the ground 
any length of time they will require an hour's cooking. 



VEGETABLES. 18/ 

When they have been boiling for half an hour, add a tea- 
spoonful of salt for about a pint of the parsnips. Drain, 
and season them with salt and butter ; or, pour a butter or 
Bech^mal sauce over them. 



Salsity. 
Cook this vegetable the same as parsnips. 

Boiled Cauliflower. 

1 cauliflower of medium size. I ^ pint of cream or Bechemal 

2 tablespoonfuls of salt. I sauce. 

Remove the leaves from the cauliflower, and place it head 
downward in a pan of cold water, to which add one table- 
spoonful of salt. Let it stand in a cold place an hour or 
more. Have about three quarts of boiling water in a stew- 
pan and put the cauliflower into it head down. Cover, and 
cook gently for thirty minutes. At the end of this time 
drain the cauliflower and put it in a deep dish. Dredge 
lightly with salt, and pour the sauce over it. 

Cauliflower au Gratin. 



3 gills of cold boiled cauliflower. 
^ pint of cream sauce. 
y^ teaspoonful of salt. 



Yi teaspoonful of pepper. 

I teaspoonful of butter. 

I gill of grated bread crumbs. 



With a fork, break the cauliflower into small pieces ; then 
sprinkle the salt and pepper over it. Put a layer of sauce 
in a small escalop dish, next a layer of cauliflower, then a 
second layer of sauce, then cauliflower, and finish with 
sauce. Cover this with the bread crumbs and dot with 
the butter. Bake in a moderately hot oven for twenty 
minutes. 



1 88 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Green Corn. 

The fresher the corn is, the less time it will take to cook. 
It should be freed from husks and the silk threads. Have a 
large saucepan nearly full of boiUng water. Drop the corn 
into this, and cook for ten minutes. Serve in a napkin. 



Canned Corn. 



I can of corn. 
I gill of milk. 



I tablespoonful of butter. 
I teaspoonf ul of salt. 



Put all the ingredients in the double-boiler, and heat to 
the boiling point ; it will take about ten minutes. Serve 
at once. Too much cooking spoils this dish. 

Corn Oysters. 



Yz pint of grated green corn. 
2 tablespoonfuls of milk. 
I gill of flour, 
I egg. 



% teaspoonful of salt. 
y% teaspoonful of pepper. 
2 tablespoonfuls of butter. 



Mix the flour, seasoning, and corn together. Add the 
butter, melted, and beat well. Beat the egg till light, and 
add to the mixture. Fry on a griddle, in cakes a little 
larger than a silver dollar. Serve with the meat course at 
breakfast. 

String Beans. 

String the beans and then break them into pieces about 
an inch long. Wash them, and let them stand in cold 
water for an hour or more. Cook them in plenty of boiling 
water for two hours. When they have been cooking for one 
hour add one teaspoonful of salt for each quart of beans. 
When done, pour off all the water and add to the beans one 
tablespoonful of butter and four tablespoonfuls of boiling 



VEGETABLES. 1 89 

water. If not salt enough, add a little more seasoning. 
Return to the fire for three minutes; then serve. 



Butter Beans. 
These are cooked the same as string beans. 

Fresh Lima Beans. 

I pint of shelled beans. 
I tablespoonf ul of butter. 
I level teaspoonful of salt. 

Wash the beans and let them stand in cold water for an 
hour or more. On draining off the cold water, put them 
on to boil in three pints of boiling water. Cook for one 
hour ; then drain off nearly all the water and add the sea- 
sonings. Serve hot. 

Dried Lima Beans. 

% pint of beans. 

I tablespoonf ul of butter. 

I level teaspoonful of salt. 

Put the beans to soak over night in one quart of cold 
water. Two hours before dinner time pour off the water, 
and, putting the beans in a stewpan with a quart of boil- 
ing water, let them simmer gently for an hour and fifty 
minutes. At the end of that time pour off the water, and 
add the salt and butter and a gill of boiling water. Let 
them stand in the saucepan on the back part of the stove 
until serving time. 

Dried Lima Beans, No. 2. 



%, pint of beans. 
y^ pint of milk. 



I teaspoonful of salt. 

y^ tablespooonful of butter. 



1 90 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Soak and cook the beans as in the recipe just given ; 
then drain off all the water, and add the seasoning and milk, 
having the latter hot. Simmer for ten minutes and serve. 



Succotash of Dried Lima Beans and Canned Corn. 



^ pint of dried Lima beans. 
^ can of sweet corn. 
Yz pint of milk. 



Yz teaspoonful of pepper. 

I generous teaspoonful of salt. 

I tablespoonful of butter. 



Soak the beans over night, and then cook them in one 
quart of clear water for an hour and fifty minutes. Pour 
off the water, and, after adding the seasoning, milk, and 
corn, cook for three minutes after the mixture begins to 
boil. Serve very hot. 

Shelled Kidney Beans. 

Prepare the same as fresh Lima beans, but cook for one 
hour and a half. 

Baked Beans. 



I pint of small white beans. 
Y pound of salt pork. 
I teaspoonful of mustard. 
I teaspoonful of sugar. 



I teaspoonful of molasses. 
Y teaspoonful of pepper. 
I small onion. 
I level tablespoonful of salt. 



Pick the beans free from stones and dirt. Wash them, 
and let them soak over night in three quarts of cold water. 
In the morning pour off the water and wash the beans in 
fresh water ; then put them in a stewpan with cold water 
enough to cover them generously, and place on the fire. 

Have the pork mixed lean and fat. Score the rind. Put 
the pork in the stewpan with the beans, and simmer until the 
beans begin to crack open, — not a minute longer. Drain all 
the water from them and rinse with cold water. Put the 
onion in the bottom of the bean pot. Put about half the 
beans in the pot, then put in the pork, having the scored 



VEGETABLES. I91 

side up. Next put in the remainder of the beans. Mix the 
mustard, salt, pepper, sugar, and molasses with a pint of 
boiling water and pour over the beans. Add just enough 
boiling water to cover the beans. Cover the pot and place 
in a slow oven. Bake for ten hours or more, adding boil- 
ing water whenever the beans look dry. The oven must 
never be hot enough to make the water on the beans bubble, 
and there should never be more water in the pot than will 
barely come to the top of the beans. 

An earthen pot should be used in baking beans. The 
onion and molasses may be omitted. 

Green Peas. 

The time of cooking green peas depends upon the age 
and the length of time they have been picked. If they be 
young and freshly picked, they will cook in twenty minutes ; 
but it may take forty or fifty if they have matured too much, 
or have been picked for a day or more. They should not 
be shelled many hours before they are cooked. Wash the 
pea pods and drain them, then shell them. Put them in a 
stewpan with just enough boiling water to cover them, and 
cook until tender. They must not boil rapidly, and as 
soon as they begin to boil the cover of the stewpan should 
be drawn a little to one side. Pour off a part of the water, 
and to every pint of peas add one tablespoonful of butter 
and half a teaspoonful of salt. 

Canned Peas. 



I can of peas. 

I heaped teaspoonful of butter. 

I level teaspoonful of salt. 



I teaspoonful of sugar. 
I gill of hot water. 



Turn the peas into a strainer, and pour cold water over 
them until they are thoroughly rinsed. Put them in a 
saucepan with the other ingreedients, and simmer for ten 
minutes. 



192 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 



Asparagus on Toast. 



I bunch of asparagus. 
3 slices of toast. 



I tablespoonful of butter. 
I tablespoonful of salt. 



Cut off the tough white ends of a bunch of asparagus. 
Now cut the string that ties the bundles together, and put 
the asparagus in a colander. Let cold water run on it until 
it is perfectly free from sand. Tie again in a bundle, and 
put it in a stewpan with one tablespoonful of salt and 
enough boiling water to cover it. Cook gently for half an 
hour. Toast three slices of bread, and dip the edges in the 
water in which the asparagus was cooked. Arrange these 
on a warm platter, and spread the asparagus upon them. 
Now season the green part of the vegetable with the table- 
spoonful of butter, and serve. 

The toast may be buttered also, if one like to have it 
rich. 

Asparagus should be placed with the cut end in a little 
cold water until it is time to cook it. 



Asparagus with Cream Sauce. 



/ 



I quart of asparagus. 

3 gills of milk. 

I tablespoonful of butter. 



% tablespoonful of flour. 
2 teaspoonfuls of salt. 



Cut up enough of the tender ends of asparagus to make 
one quart. Put these in the colander, and let cold water 
run on them until every particle of sand is removed. Put 
them in a saucepan with one quart of boiling water and one 
teaspoonful of salt, and cook gently for half an hour ; then 
drain, and, after putting in a warm vegetable dish, pour the 
cream sauce over them. 

To make the sauce, put the butter on the fire, in a pan, 
and when it is melted add the flour. Stir until smooth and 



VEGETABLES. 1 93 

frothy ; then gradually add the milk, stirring all the while. 
Season with a scant teaspoonful of salt, and boil up once. 

If you prefer, the asparagus may be seasoned with salt and 
butter, using a generous tablespoonful of butter and half a 
teaspoonful of salt ; moistening with a gill of the water in 
which it is boiled. 

Spinach. 

^ peck of spinach. 

I generous tablespoonful of butter. 

I level tablespoonful of salt. 

Pick over the spinach, removing all the roots and brown 
leaves. Have two pans filled with cold water. Put the 
spinach in one pan and wash it, a few leaves at a time, 
dropping it into the second pan of water. When all is done, 
turn the water from the first pan, which should at once be 
rinsed and filled again with clean water. Continue wash- 
ing the spinach in this way until there is not a grain of sand 
left in it. This you learn by passing the hand over the bot- 
tom of the pan. Put the cleaned spinach in a stewpan with 
a pint of boiling water and the salt, and cook for half an 
hour. Turn into the colander and cut with a knife. Put 
into a hot vegetable dish and add the butter. 

Greens. 

Greens of all kinds are cooked in about the same way 
that spinach is, but they all require boiling water enough to 
cover them, and most of them require a much longer time 
to boil. 

A small piece of salt pork or smoked bacon, or a shank 
of ham, is often boiled in the water for two or more hours 
before the greens are put in to cook. This meat is served 
with the greens, which require no seasoning except salt. 

13 



194 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Hashed Cabbage. 

I small head of cabbage. 

1 tablespoonful of salt. 

2 tablespoonfuls of butter. 

Take all the green and broken leaves from a small head 
of cabbage. Then divide the cabbage into eight parts, cut- 
ting from the top down to the stalk. Wash it and let it 
stand in cold water for an hour or more. Put it in a 
large kettle of boiling water and boil rapidly for forty-five 
minutes. The kettle must not be covered. When the 
cabbage is done, drain, and put in a chopping bowl. 
Mince rather fine and season with the salt and butter. 
If the cabbage be fresh from the garden, half an hour's 
cooking will be sufficient. 

Creamed Cabbage. 



I quart of raw white cabbage, 

sliced. 
I tablespoonful of butter. 



I teaspoonful of flour. 
% teaspoonful of salt. 
I gill of milk. 



Let the cabbage stand in cold water for an hour or more ; 
then drain off the water and put the cabbage in a stewpan 
with two quarts of boiling water. Cover, and cook for ten 
minutes. At the end of that time pour off the water and 
put in two quarts of fresh boiling water. Cook rapidly, with 
the cover off, for about three quarters of an hour. When 
that time has passed, put the cabbage in a colander and 
press out all the water ; then cut it with a sharp knife. Put 
the butter in a frying-pan and set on the range. When it 
becomes hot, add the cabbage, as well as the salt and pep- 
per. Cook for five minutes, stirring all the time ; then 
cover, and set back where it will cook gently for ten 
minutes. Mix the milk with the flour, and pour the mix- 
ture over the cabbage. Stir gently, and again cover the 
pan. Cook for ten minutes more and serve. 



VEGETABLES. 1 95 



Baked Cabbage. 



1 pint of boiled and hashed 

cabbage. 

2 ounces of salt pork. 



I teaspoonful of salt. 
X teaspoonful of pepper. 



Boil and hash the cabbage, as directed for hashed cab- 
bage. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper, and mix lightly 
with a fork. Turn into a baking dish and spread over it the 
pork cut in thin slices. Bake for half an hour in a moder- 
ate oven. Serve in the dish in which it is cooked. 



Fried Cabbage. 



I quart of boiled cabbage. 
3 tablespoonfuls of butter or beef 
drippings. 



I teaspoonful of salt. 
X teaspoonful of pepper. 



Boil the cabbage as for hashed cabbage, and mince rather 
fine. Add the seasoning. Put the butter or drippings in a 
frying-pan and set on the fire. As soon as the butter is 
melted, put in the cabbage and cook one hour, stirring 
often, and having the pan covered. Serve very hot. 

Squash. 

Pare the squash and remove the seeds and the stringy 
substance from the inside. Cut it into small pieces, and 
place in a stewpan with enough boiling water to cover it. 
Cook for thirty-five minutes ; then drain off the water, and 
mash fine. Season with salt, pepper, and butter. For a 
pint of mashed squash use a teaspoonful of salt and one 
tablespoonful of butter. Serve very hot. 

The squash may be steamed instead of boiled ; in which 
case cook it for fifty minutes. 



ii 



196 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Summer Squash. 

Get a tender fresh squash. If the rind be very tender 
do not pare it. Cut up the squash and steam for one hour ; 
then rub it through a colander into a saucepan. Place the 
saucepan on the fire, and to each pint of the strained squash 
add one tablespoonful of butter and one teaspoonful of salt. 
Cook for five minutes, and serve hot. 

Fried Egg Plant. 



I small egg plant. 
I teaspoonful of salt. 



Dry crumbs. 
Fat for frying. 



Pare the egg plant and cut it in slices about half an inch 
thick. Season with the salt. Beat the egg in a soup plate, 
and dip a slice of Ggg plant in it, covering every part of it ; 
then dip the slice in fine dry crumbs. Continue this until 
all the egg plant is breaded. Have the frying fat three or 
four inches deep, and when it is so hot that blue smoke 
rises from the centre put two slices of the vegetable in, and 
cook for about three minutes. Take up and drain on brown 
paper ; then serve. 

Boiled Macaroni. 

Macaroni varies as to the time it will take to cook. Half 
an hour is the usual time, but it often requires forty-five 
minutes. Break it into pieces two or three inches long, 
and drop it into a saucepan of boiling water. Boil rapidly 
until tender, having the saucepan uncovered. When it has 
been cooking for fifteen minutes, add a teaspoonful of salt 
for every two ounces of macaroni. When done turn it into 
a colander to drain ; then put it into a hot dish, and pour 
half a pint of sauce over it. The sauce may be cream. 
Bechamel, tomato, or brown sauce. A little grated cheese 
may be added to the cream sauce, if that be the kind used. 
Serve at once. 



VEGETABLES. 1 9/ 

Macaroni with Cheese. 

2 ounces of macaroni. i i teaspoonful of salt. 

^ pint of cream sauce. I i gill of grated cheese. 

Boil and drain the macaroni. Add the sauce to it, and 
put into an escalop dish. Cover with the cheese, and bake 
for half an hour. 

Baked Hominy. 



I gill of fine breakfast hominy. 
I pint of boiling water. 
% pint of milk. 



I egg. 

]A, teaspoonful of salt. 

I teaspoonful of butter. 



Wash the hominy in three waters, and stir it into the 
boiling water, into which the salt should be sprinkled. Boil 
gently for one hour, having the cover on the stewpan, and 
stirring often. Now add the butter, cold milk, and the egg, 
well beaten, and bake in a moderate oven for one hour. 
Three gills of cold boiled hominy may be substituted for 
the fresh article. 

This is to be served with meat or eggs for breakfast, 
luncheon, or dinner. 

Boiled Rice. 

I gill of rice. 

3 pints of boiling water. 

I teaspoonful of salt. 

Wash the rice by putting it in cold water and rubbing it 
hard between the hands. Do this three times. Drain off 
all the water, and put the rice in a large stewpan with the 
boiling water. Place it where it will boil all the time with 
the stewpan uncovered. When it has been cooking for 
fifteen minutes add the salt ; but do not stir it, for rice is 
spoiled if stirred during the cooking. When it has boiled 
for twenty- five minutes, turn it into a colander and drain ofi" 
all the water. Place the colander on a plate, and set it on 



igS 



MISS PARLOA S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 



the hearth or the back part of the range. Cover the rice 
with a coarse towel. In this way it can be kept hot and 
dry for a long time. 



Baked Rice. 



}4 pint of boiled rice. 

}4 pint of milk. 

I teaspoonful of salt. 



I teaspoonful of butter. 



Add the egg, well beaten, to all the other ingredients, and 
bake slowly for half an hour. 



Rice Croquettes. 



)4 pint of boiled rice. 

1 gill of milk. 

2 eggs. 

I tablespoonful of butter. 



I tablespoonful of sugar. 

}4 teaspoonful of salt. 

The grated yellow rind of a lemon. 

Bread crumbs. 



Put the milk, rice, butter, and seasoning on to boil. 
Beat one egg till light, and stir it into the boiling mixture. 
Cook for one minute, stirring all the time. Turn the mix- 
ture out on a plate, and set away to cool. When cold 
shape into small cylinders. Beat the second egg in a soup 
plate. Cover the croquettes, one at a time, with the beaten 
egg, then roll in dried bread crumbs. Fry in deep fat for 
one minute and a half. Drain on brown paper, and serve 
at once. 



Vegetable Hash. 



I pint of hashed cabbage. 
I pint of hashed potatoes. 
}4 pint of hashed turnips. 



}4 pint of hashed beets. 
2 tablespoonfuls of corned beef 
fat. 



When the above-named vegetables, or any other kinds, 
such as parsnips and carrots, are left over from a boiled 
dinner, chop them separately and rather coarse. Season 
them with salt and pepper, the amount depending upon 
how well the vegetables were seasoned when served hot. 



VEGETABLES. 1 99 

Mix them together. Put the corned beef fat in a frying- 
pan and set on the fire, and when it is melted add the 
vegetables and cover the pan. Place on a moderately 
hot part of the range, and cook for half an hour, stirring 
frequently with a fork. 

Just before serving draw the pan forward to a hotter part 
of the fire, and stir for three minutes. Serve very hot. 

Two tablespoonfuls of butter may be used instead of the 
beef fat. 

Celery. 

Celery should be kept in a cool place, but it must not be 
wrapped in wet paper or kept in water. Break the blades 
from the stalks, and scrape off any brown spots that may be 
found ; next wash the celery, and let it stand in ice-water 
for ten or twenty minutes to become crisp. Put it in a 
celery dish with some bits of ice, and serve at once. 

How to Keep Lettuce Crisp. 

Lettuce can be kept crisp and fresh for several days, if 
necessary, by placing the roots in water. Do not let the 
water come up as high as the leaves. When ready to serve 
the lettuce, wash it leaf by leaf in a pan of cold water, and 
drop it into another pan of ice-water. It will become crisp 
in a few minutes. Shake the water from the leaves before 
serving. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

MISCELLANEOUS DISHES. 

Boiled Eggs. 

THE white and yolk should be equally well cooked in 
a boiled egg, the white being soft and creamy. Put 
the eggs in a deep saucepan, and pour over them a gener- 
ous amount of boiling water, — one quart or more of water 
for four eggs. Cover the saucepan, and set on a part of 
the range where it is so cool that the hand can rest on it 
comfortably. At the end of ten minutes the eggs will be 
cooked to a soft creamy consistency. If the eggs be liked 
medium well done, cook for five minutes longer ; if to be 
hard, they may remain in the water for twenty minutes. 

Poached Eggs. 

Put in a frying-pan boiling water to the depth of two or 
three inches. To each pint of water add a teaspoonful of 
salt and a teaspoonful of vinegar. Have the water just 
bubbling at one side of the pan. Break an egg close to 
the pan, and drop it gently into the water. Continue put- 
ting in eggs until you have the required number. When 
the white of the egg is set, slide a cake-turner under the 
egg, and lift it from the water. Slide it upon a slice of 
buttered toast. 

In most parts of New England eggs cooked in this way 
are called dropped. 

Muffin rings may be placed in the pan of water, and 
the eggs be dropped into them. This gives a better shape. 



MISCELLANEOUS DISHES. 20I 

There are several inventions in the market by the use of 
which eggs can be poached easily and successfully. 

Fried Eggs. 

These are usually served with ham, but they may be 
served separately. Put into a pan any kind of clean 
sweet fat ; ham or bacon fat is generally considered as the 
best. Have the fat about a quarter of an inch deep in the 
pan. Break the eggs separately, and slide them gently, one 
at a time, into the hot fat. With a long spoon dip up the 
fat and pour over the eggs. As soon as the whites are set, 
slide a cake-turner under the eggs and place them on a 
warm dish. They may be arranged on slices of ham, or 
the ham may be put in the centre of the dish, and the eggs 
arranged around it. 

Scrambled Eggs. 

4 eggs. 

I tablespoonful of butter. 

Ye teaspoonful of salt. 

Beat the eggs with a spoon. Add the salt. Put the 
butter on the fire, in a frying-pan, and when hot stir in the 
eggs. Continue stirring until the eggs begin to set In- 
stantly turn them into a warm dish and serve. 

Eggs au Gratin. 



4 eggs. 

^ pint of grated bread crumbs. 

I teaspoonful of Parmesan cheese. 



% teaspoonful of salt. 

-^^ teaspoonful of pepper. 

3 generous teaspoonfuls of butter. 



Mix the salt, pepper, cheese, and butter with the crumbs. 
Beat the white of one egg to a stiff froth ; then add the yolk 
and beat for a moment longer. Stir this Qgg mixture into 
the other mgredients. 




202 MISS PARLOA S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

Butter a gratin dish — or a small pie plate will do — and 
make little nests in it with the preparation. Cook in rather 
a hot oven for ten minutes. Take 
from the oven, and then break a fresh 
egg into each nest. -Return to the 
oven and cook for three minutes 
longer. If there be objection to cheese, 

GRATIN DISH. ^ r i r u j i i 

a teaspoonful of chopped parsley and 
a few drops of onion juice may be substituted for it. 

Baked Eggs. 

Butter a gratin dish, or a deep pie plate, and break the 
required number of eggs into it. Put the plate in a moder- 
ate oven, and cook until the white is set. It will take from 
five to eight minutes to bake the eggs. 

Pretty round and oval dishes come for this purpose. 
They are made of French china, and are fireproof. 

Breaded Eggs. 



5 eggs. 

}4 pint of dried bread crumbs. 

I teaspoonful of salt. 



^ teaspoonful of pepper. 

Fat for frying. 

j4 pint of bisque sauce. 



Boil four of the eggs for ten minutes. Drop them into 
cold water and remove the shells. Cut the eggs in halves, 
lengthwise, and season them with the salt and pepper. 
Beat the uncooked egg in a soup plate. Dip the halves of 
eggs in this, and then roll in the bread crumbs. At serving 
time put the breaded eggs in the frying basket, and plunge 
into hot fat. Cook for about two minutes ; then drain, and 
serve on a hot dish with the bisque sauce poured around 
them. 

Creamed Eggs. 



4 slices of toast. 

4 hard-boiled eggs. 

2 tablespoonfuls of butter. 

X teaspoonful of pepper. 



I teaspoonful of salt. 
I tablespoonful of flour. 
3 gills of milk. . 

t 



MISCELLANEOUS DISHES. 203 

Cut the eggs into thin shces. Cut the sHces of toast in 
halves, and lay them in a warm platter. Put the butter on 
the fire, in a frying-pan, and when it becomes hot add 
the flour. Stir until the mixture is smooth and frothy. 
Gradually add the cold milk, stirring all the time. When 
this boils up, add the salt and pepper. 

Mix the eggs with the sauce and spread on the toast. 
Bake in a moderate oven for six minutes and serve im- 
mediately. 

Egg Cutlets. 



5 eggs. 

I tablespoonful of butter. 

^ teaspoonful of salt. 



^ teaspoonful of pepper. 
Crumbs for breading. 
Fat for frying. 



Put four of the eggs in a deep saucepan, and fill up with 
boiling water. Cover, and let them stand on the hearth or 
the coolest part of the range for twenty minutes. At the 
end of this time pour off the hot water and cover with cold 
water. Remove the shells and cut the eggs in two, length- 
wise, using a plated knife. 

Let a soup plate stand in hot water until heated through. 
Put the butter, salt, and pepper in this plate, and stir until 
the butter is melted. Beat the fifth egg in another soup 
plate, and have a third plate filled with dry and sifted 
bread crumbs. Drop the eggs, one at a time, in the melted 
butter, then in the beaten egg, and finally roll them in the 
crumbs. Lay them on a platter and set in a cold place 
until it is time to cook them ; then put them in the frying 
basket and cook in hot fat for one minute. Serve with a 
bisque or curry sauce. 

This dish is suitable for luncheon or supper. 

Plain Omelet. 

2 eggs. j I tablespoonful of cold water. 

X teaspoonful of salt. I i heaped teaspoonful of butter. 

Beat the egg enough to break it well, but not to make it 
light. Have the omelet pan warmed, and put the butter in 



204 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

it. Place over a very hot fire. As soon as the butter be- 
comes so hot that it turns sUghtly brown, pour the eggs into 
the pan. With the left hand lift the pan a little at the han- 
dle side, tipping it forward slightly, so that the liquid egg 
shall flow to the other side. As soon as the egg begins to 




ROLLING AN OMELET. 

set, draw it up to the raised side of the pan. While the egg 
is yet quite soft, begin to roll the omelet. Begin at the left 
hand, and turn over in small folds until the lower part of the 
pan is reached. Let the omelet rest a few seconds, and then 
turn out on a hot dish. 

The work of making an omelet is very simple, but there 
must be intense heat, and the work of folding and removing 




THE OMELET WHEN FINISHED. 



from the pan must be done rapidly. Practice is essential 
to perfect omelet making. The great mistake which be- 



MISCELLANEOUS DISHES. , 205 

ginners usually make is, that they work too slowly, and 
cook the omelet too much. It should be a soft, creamy 
mass when done. 

One can make a great variety of omelets by adding a few 
spoonfuls of any kind of delicate meat, fish, or vegetable, 
hashed fine and heated in a sauce. Spread the heated 
mixture on the omelet before you begin to fold it. 

♦ Baked Omelet. 



3 eggs. 

I heaped tablespoonful of corn 
starch. 



i}4. gills of milk. 

I teaspoonful of salt. 

I tablespoonful of butter. 



Heat one gill of the milk to the boiling point. Mix the 
corn starch with the half-gill of cold milk and stir into the 
boiling milk. Cook for one minute, stirring all the time. 
Add the salt and butter, and take from the fire. Beat the 
yolks and whites of the eggs separately ; then stir them 
into the cooked ingredients. Turn the mixture into a 
buttered baking dish and cook in a moderate oven for 
about twelve minutes. Serve at once. 

Bread Omelet. 



2 ounces of stale bread (one large 

slice). 
I gill of boiling water. 
I gill of cold milk. 



T level teaspoonful of salt. 

2 eggs. 

I tablespoonful of butter. 



Have the bread free from crust. Pour the boiling water 
over it. When soft, add the salt and milk, and break up 
with a spoon. Beat the yolks and whites of the eggs sep- 
arately, and stir into the bread mixture. Put the butter in 
a frying-pan of good size, and set on the fire. When hot, 
turn in the omelet, and cook until it begins to set ; drawing 
it back a little, as you would a plain omelet. Fold, and 
brown slightly. Turn out on a hot dish, and serve at once. 



206 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 



"Welsh Rare-bit. 



% pint of soft mild cheese. 

yi gill of milk. 

I egg. 

y^ tablespoonful of butter. 



X teaspoonf ul of salt. 
]^ teaspoonf ul of mustard. 
A grain of cayenne. 
3 slices of toast. 



Break the cheese into small bits. Beat the egg, and add 
the other ingredients to it. Put the mixture in a small 
saucepan, which place in another of boiling water. Stir 
over the fire until the mixture becomes a smooth, creamy 
mass. Immediately spread this on the hot toast, and serve. 
The rare-bit can be made on the table in the chafing dish. 

Roasted Oyster Crackers. 

I tablespoonful of butter. 
I gill of boiling water. 
3 gills of oyster crackers. 

Melt the butter in the water ; then stir the crackers into 
the mixture, that they may all get a slight coating of butter 
and water. Spread them in a shallow pan and put in a hot 
oven for ten or twelve minutes. They should be brown 
and glossy at the end of that time. Serve in a deep dish 
with oyster soup or oyster stew. 

Fried Bread- 
Cut slices of stale bread into half-inch squares. Put into 
a small frying-pan or granite-ware saucepan six tablespoon- 
fuls of lard, and set on the fire. When the lard is so hot 
that it smokes all over, put in one square of the bread. If 
this becomes browned in one minute and a half, the lard is 
hot enough ; if it is not hot enough, make another test 
very soon. Now put in the rest of the squares of bread, — 
there should be about half a pint. Fry until brown, which 
will be in about a minute and a half. While the bread is 



MISCELLANEOUS DISHES. 20/ 

frying, stir it with a fork, in order that all parts may be 
equally browned. Take from the fat with a skimmer and 
drain on brown paper. When the fat has become slightly 
cooled, strain it through a piece of cheese-cloth and it will 
be ready to use again. 

This bread is to serve with tomato, pea, and other soups. 

Maple Syrup from Sugar. 

Break up a pound of maple sugar and put it in a sauce- 
pan with half a pint of hot water. Boil for ten minutes. 
Pour into a pitcher, and when cold, cover, and put in a 
cool place. It is well to buy maple sugar in the spring and 
keep it in a cool, dry place for use in making syrup until 
the fresh syrup comes the next year. 



Batter for Fruit Fritters. 



I gill of flour. 
Yz gill of milk. 
I egg. 



Y teaspoonful of salt. 
I teaspoonful of sugar. 
% tablespoonf ul of melted butter. 



Mix the dry ingredients together. Add the milk, and 
beat the batter until light and smooth. Add the butter, 
and beat again. Finally add the egg, well beaten. This 
batter will answer for any kind of fruit. 

Apple Fritters. 

Core and pare large tart apples. Cut them in slices 
about one third of an inch thick. Season the slices with 
nutmeg, then dip them in the batter. Lift them, one by 
one, from the batter and drop gently into hot fat. Cook 
for three minutes ; then lift from the fat, drain, and serve 
immediately. Powdered sugar may be sprinkled on the 
fritters when they are arranged on the dish. 

Peaches, bananas, oranges, grapes, pears, etc., may be 
cooked in the form of fritters. 



208 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

Milk Toast. 



I pint of milk. 

I tablespoonful of flour. 

I tablespoonful of butter. 



% teaspoonful of salt. 
5 slices of toasted bread. 



Mix the flour with one gill of cold milk. Put the re- 
mainder of the milk in the double- boiler and set on the 
fire. When the milk boils, stir in the flour mixture, and 
cook for ten minutes. Toast the bread till it is nicely 
and evenly browned. Stir the salt and butter into the 
cooking mixture ; then dip the slices of toast in it. Lay 
the toast in a deep warm dish and pour the remainder of 
the cream over it. Cover the dish and serve. 

Indian, brown, or graham bread may be used for this 
toast. 

Baked Toast. 

For this toast use a flat dish, such as comes for baking 
eggs, or a meat platter of stone china. Toast the bread 
and spread it, one slice deep, in the platter. Cover it with 
cold milk, and put in a moderately hot oven. When the 
milk is boiling hot, add bits of butter, and let the toast 
cook for one minute longer. Serve in the dish in which it 
was cooked. If salt be liked, sprinkle a little on the toast 
before the milk is added. 

Allow one pint of milk and one teaspoonful of butter to 
five slices of toast. 

If cream be plentiful, use that, and omit the butter. 

Soft Butter Toast. 

Toast stale bread till nicely browned. Dip it quickly 
into hot salted water, spread it with soft butter, and serve. 

The butter must be only soft enough to spread easily. 
It will spoil it to melt it. 

Use one teaspoonful of salt to a quart of boiling water. 



MISCELLANEOUS DISHES. 209 

Cracker Cream Toast. 

Toast crackers and drop them into a cream, made as for 
milk toast. Let them soak in this for ten minutes ; then 
dish and serve. 

The crackers will be more delicate if they be soaked in 
cold water and toasted as for butter toast before being put 
in the cream. 

Cracker Butter Toast. 

Split Boston butter crackers and soak them in cold water 
until they begin to swell. Remove them from the water 
and drain on a plate. Arrange in the double-broiler and 
toast brown on both sides. Butter, and serve at once on 
a hot dish. 

Mush. 

Time was when the housekeeper was limited to three or 
four kinds of material for mush ; but that is all changed, 
and the market is filled with many different preparations of 
wheat, oats, corn, etc. Each new article is pronounced by 
its makers to be the best. One of the principal recommen- 
dations which each manufacturer claims for his product is 
that it can be cooked in a short time. Many good articles 
that are prepared for the table by the printed directions on 
the package, calling for about ten minutes' cooking, are dis- 
carded because of unsatisfactory results, whereas if the cook- 
ing were continued for half an hour or more the dish would 
be delicious. It must be remembered that all cereals re- 
quire thorough cooking, because of the starch in them. No 
matter what the cereal product may be, it should be cooked 
not less than half an hour. 

Be sure to have the full quantity of water called for in the 
receipt, and to have it boiling when the meal is stirred into 
it. When dry meal is to be sprinkled into boiling water, 

14 



210 MISS PARLOAS YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

stir the water briskly for a few moments before adding the 
meal, and stir constantly while the meal is being sprinkled 
in. Rules can be given here for only a few kinds of 
cereals, but these rules can be followed in cooking almost 
any one of the breakfast cereals. 

Oatmeal Mush. 

I gill of oatmeal. 

I pint of boiling water. 

% teaspoonful of salt. 

Stir the boiling water; then sprinkle in the oatmeal, 
stirring all the time. After adding the salt, cover the stew- 
pan, and set back where the contents will cook gently for 
half an hour or longer. Do not stir the mush after the first 
five minutes. 

Corn Meal Mush. 

I gill of yellow corn meal. 

I generous pint of boiling water. 

y^ teaspoonful of salt. 

Put the meal in a stewpan and gradually pour the boil- 
ing water upon it, stirring all the time. Add the salt, and 
put the stewpan where the mush will cook gently for an 
hour or more. Stir frequently, and keep the stewpan 
covered. 



Fried Mush. 



^ pint of corn meal. 
2 tablespoonf uls of flour. 



I teaspoonful of salt. 
I quart of boiling water. 



Mix the dry ingredients well in a stewpan and pour the 
boiling water on them, stirring all the time. Beat vigorously 
and cook slowly for three hours, keeping the stewpan cov- 
ered. At the end of that time dip a small bread-pan in 



MISCELLANEOUS DISHES. 211 

cold water, and pour the mush into it, packing smoothly. 
Set away to cool. 

In the morning turn the mush out on a board and cut 
in slices about half an inch thick. Roll these in dry flour 
and fry in hot fat until brown. Drain on sheets of brown 
paper, and serve very hot. 

Boiled Hominy. 

I gill of hominy. 

I pint of boiling water. 

% teaspoonful of salt. 

Wash the hominy in two or three waters, and stir into the 
boiling water. Add the salt. Cover the stewpan, and set 
where the hominy will cook gently for half an hour or more. 
Stir frequently. Use the fine breakfast hominy. This mush 
may be served with sugar and milk, or as a vegetable, with 
meat. 

Pried Hominy. 

Cook the hominy as directed in the rule for boiled 
hominy. Wet a deep dish and pour the hot hominy into 
it. When cold, cut in slices about half an inch thick. Roll 
the sliced hominy in flour. 

Put two tablespoonfuls of sweet drippings in the frying- 
pan and place on the fire. When the fat is hot, lay in the 
slices of hominy. Cover the pan, and cook until brown on 
one side ; then turn, and brown on the other. It will take 
about twenty minutes' time to brown the hominy. Serve 
very hot. Bacon or ham fat is the best for this dish. 



Hominy Cakes. 



% a pint of cold hominy. 

I egg. 

yi teaspoonful of salt. 



yi teaspoonful of pepper. 
I tablespoonful of drippings. 



212 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

Beat the hominy well with a fork, and add the seasonings 
and the egg, well beaten. Shape with the hands into small, 
flat cakes, and, after sprinkling these lightly with flour, fry 
them until brown on one side, and then turn and brown on 
the other side. Beef, pork, ham, bacon, or sausage fat may 
be used for frying. Do not use more than the table- 
spoonful. 

These cakes are good for breakfast, luncheon, or tea. 

Fruit Sauces. 

All kinds of fruit may be used for sauces. The juicy 
fruits will require but little water, whereas the dry ones will 
need a great deal. The amount of sugar used in these 
fruit sauces depends upon the acidity of the fruit and the 
taste of the family. If the fruit is to be kept whole, add 
the sugar when the fruit is put on to stew, and cook slowly. 

Never cook fruit in tin. 

Fruit sauces that are to be served with meats should have 
very little sugar added to them. 

Baked Sweet Apples. 

Wash and wipe the apples. Put them in a deep earthen 
dish, with water enough to come up about an inch. Sprinkle 
sugar over the apples and bake in a moderate oven for two 
hours. Baste them twice with the water in the dish. Six 
apples will require two tablespoonfuls of sugar and a scant 
half-pint of water. 

Baked Sour Apples. 

Wash, wipe, and core six large apples, and place them in 
a deep earthen dish. Fill the holes with sugar, and sprinkle 
two extra tablespoonfuls over the apples. Pour a gill of 
hot water into the dish. Bake in a moderately hot oven 
until tender. It will take about an hour's time to cook 
them. 



MISCELLANEOUS DISHES. 21 3 

Broiled Apples. 

Pare, core, and cut tart apples in slices about half an inch 
thick. Dip the slices into melted butter, and broil them 
over rather a bright fire. When soft, put them on a warm 
dish and sprinkle with sugar. Serve at once. 

Fried Apples. 

1 quart of tart apples, 

2 tablespoonf uls of drippings- 
I tablepoonful of sugar. 

Pare and slice the apples. Put the drippings in a frying- 
pan and set on the fire. When hot, add the apples. Cover 
the pan and cook until the apples are tender, turning them 
often. Add the sugar, and cook ten minutes longer. 

These are particularly good when served hot with fresh 
pork. 

Green Apple Sauce. 

Pare, quarter, and core some tart apples and put them 
in a granite-ware or porcelain stewpan. Nearly cover 
them with water; then cover the stewpan and place on 
the fire. Cook until the apples are tender, and season 
with sugar. The exact time of cooking and the amount 
of sugar cannot be stated for any given measure of apples, 
because some apples cook so much more quickly than 
others, and some require more sugar. 

Should you wish to have the pieces of apple kept whole 
in the cooking, add the sugar when the fruit is put on 
to stew, and cook slowly. If, on the other hand, the apple 
be liked all broken up and of light color, boil rapidly, and 
sweeten after the fruit is stewed. 

Evaporated Apple Sauce. 

I pin4: of evaporated apples. 

I gill of sugar. 

About one quart of water. 



214 MISS PARLOA'S young HOUSEKEEPER. 

Wash the apples and let them soak over night in the 
quart of cold water. In the morning put the apples and 
water in a granite-ware or porcelain stewpan; cover, and 
place on rather a cool part of the range. Cook gently 
for one hour; then add the sugar, and cook for half- an 
hour longer. There should be water enough to cover the 
apples generously when they are put on to stew. Do not 
stir this sauce. The juice of a lemon may be added if 
you choose. 

Evaporated Peaches. 
Cook this fruit the same as the evaporated apples. 

Evaporated Apricots. 
This fruit is to be cooked the same as evaporated apples. 

Baked Pears. 

9 pears. 

I gill of sugar. 

I pint of waten 

Wash the pears and put them, with the water and sugar, in 
a deep earthen dish. Cover the dish and bake the pears 
in a slow oven for three hours. 

Stewed Prunes. 

Put the prunes in a bowl of cold water. Wash them 
one by one by rubbing them between the hands, and 
drop them into a bowl of cold water. Wash them in this 
second water and put them in a stewpan. To half a 
pound of prunes add one quart of cold water. Place 
the stewpan on the range and cook the prunes slowly 
for two hours or more. When done, they will be plump 
and tender. Turn them into a bowl and put in a cool 
place. 



MISCELLANEOUS DISHES. 21 5 

Cranberry Sauce. 

I pint of cranberries. 

y^ pint of granulated sugar. 

^ pint of water. 

Pick over the cranberries. Wash them, and put in a 
granite-ware or porcelain stewpan ; then add the water 
and the sugar. Cook the sauce rapidly for ten or fifteen 
minutes ; then turn into a bowl and set away to harden. 
This gives a sauce that will jelly. If liked softer, use a 
little more water. 

Cranberry Jelly. 

Make the same as cranberry sauce, but cook five minutes 
longer ; then rub through a strainer fine enough to keep 
back the seeds. 

Rhubarb Sauce. 

Rhubarb may be stewed or baked. Pare and wash the 
stalks and cut them in pieces about an inch long ; then put 
in a granite-ware stewpan. To a quart of the rhubarb add 
one gill of sugar and one gill of water, and stew gently 
until done ; then turn into an earthen bowl. Another 
way is to put the rhubarb, water, and sugar in an earthen 
dish, cover the dish, and bake in a moderate oven for an 
hour and a half. 

If the sauce be liked sweet more sugar may be used. 

Dumplings. 



yi pint of unsifted flour. 

I teaspoonful of baking powder. 

% teaspoonful of salt. 



Yz teaspoonful of sugar. 
Yl cupful of milk. 



Mix the dry ingredients and rub through a sieve. Wet 
with the milk, and stir quickly into the form of a smooth ball. 
Sprinkle the bread board with flour and roll the dough into 



2i6 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

a sheet about three quarters of an inch thick, which should 
then be cut into small cakes. If the dumplings are to be 
cooked with the stew, set the stewpan where the contents 
will cook rapidly, and arrange the dumplings on top of the 
stew. Cover the pan, and cook for exactly ten minutes. 
If they are to be steamed, place them on a plate in the 
steamer and cook for twelve minutes. 



CHAPTER XV. 

BREAD IN VARIOUS FORMS. 

PERFECT bread will be light and sweet, and with a rich, 
nutty flavor of the wheat. To get this result good yeast 
and flour must be used ; the dough, while rising, must be 
kept at a proper temperature, about 75° F., and the heat 
of the oven, when baking the dough, must be high enough 
to raise the inside of the loaf to about 220° F. This is 
necessary to cook the starch, expand the carbonic acid gas, 
air, and steam, and drive off the alcohol. 

A good way to test the heat is to put in a piece of white 
paper. If it turn a dark brown in five minutes, the oven 
will be of the right temperature ; but if it burn, the oven will 
be too hot, and must be cooled a little before the loaf is put 
in ; or if the paper be only a light brown at the end of the 
five minutes, the oven must be made hotter. 

When the bread is baked it should be cooled in such a 
way that the pure air shall circulate freely around it. The 
best way is to put the loaf across the pan, or to let it lean 
against the pan, having it rest on its edge. In this way the 
gases, alcohol, and steam pass ofl", making the loaf much 
sweeter and crisper than when it is wrapped in a cloth. 
The loaf should be perfectly cold before being put in the 
bread box. 

When you are baking bread the heat should be greatest 
when the loaf is first put in the oven ; then, after cooking 
for twenty- five minutes, the heat should be reduced a little. 
White bread made with water should get the greater part of 
its browning the first half-hour. If made with milk it will 



21 8 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

brown in twenty minutes ; but it must be remembered that 
being brown does not mean that the bread is baked. 

A piece of woollen blanket is of great value in making 
bread. Wrap it around the bowl in which the dough is 
rising, and it will keep the temperature even. Nothing is 
more injurious than chilling the dough before it is risen. 
It does not hurt it after it is well risen. 

Bread can be made with either milk or water ; simply 
substitute milk where water is called for. The milk should 
first be boiled and cooled. 

Hop Yeast. 

Put a tablespoonful of hops in one quart of cold water 
and place on the fire. Now pare and grate into a tin pan 
three large uncooked potatoes. When the hops and water 
begin to boil, strain the boiling water on the grated pota- 
toes. Place the pan with the potatoes and hop-water on 
the stove, and stir until the mixture boils up. Take from 
the fire, and add one tablespoonful of salt and two of granu- 
lated sugar. Let this mixture stand until it is blood warm ; 
then add half a cupful of liquid yeast, or half a cake of com- 
pressed yeast dissolved in one fourth of a cupful of water. 
Pour the mixture into a large earthen bowl which has been 
thoroughly heated. Cover, and set in a warm place for six 
hours. In that time the yeast should be so well risen that 
it is foamy all through. Now pour this into a stone jar, or 
into two preserve jars (the jars should be not more than 
half full) , and put in a cold place, but not where the yeast 
will freeze. This yeast will keep three or four weeks. 
Made in this way it is called Hquid yeast. 

Liquid, compressed, or dry yeast, if sweet and good, 
will all make excellent bread. In very hot countries the 
dry yeast is by far the best, unless one have an ice chest to 
keep the liquid yeast in. As the method of making bread 
with the dry yeast is different from that of making with 
liquid yeast, a separate rule may be valuable. 



BREAD IN VARIOUS FORMS. 219 

Bread Made with Dry Yeast. 

For three Loaves. 



2 quarts of flour, 

1 %. pints {zyi cupfuls) of blood- 

warm water, 

2 tablespoonf uls of butter or lard. 



I yeast cake. 

I tablespoonful of sugar. 

I teaspoonf ul of salt. 



For three small loaves there will be required two quarts 
of flour, one pint and a gill of blood-warm water, one yeast 
cake, one tablespoonful of sugar, two tablespoonfuls of 
butter or lard, and one teaspoonful of salt. 

Sift the flour in the bread pan. Break up the yeast cake 
and put it in a quart bowl ; then add a gill of the water, 
and mash with a spoon until the yeast and water are well 
mixed. Beat in one gill of the flour. Cover the bowl and 
set in a warm place for two hours. At the end of that time 
the batter should be a perfect sponge. Add to the sponge 
the pint of warm water, half the butter or lard, and the salt 
and sugar. Stir this mixture into the flour and mix well 
with a spoon. Sprinkle the moulding board thickly with 
flour, and, turning the dough upon it, knead for twenty 
minutes, using as Httle flour as possible. At the end of 
this time the ball of dough should be soft, smooth, and 
elastic. Place the dough in the bowl and rub the second 
spoonful of butter or lard over it. Cover with a clean towel 
and then with a tin or wood cover. Set the bowl in a warm 
place and let it rise over night. In the morning the dough 
will have increased to three times its original volume, and 
will be a perfect sponge. Knead it in the bowl for five 
minutes — do not use flour — and then shape into three 
small loaves. Put these in deep pans, and with a sharp 
knife cut lengthwise through the centre of each loaf. Put 
the pans in a warm place and cover with clean towels. Let 
the loaves rise to twice their size, and then bake in a mod- 
erately hot oven for fifty minutes. 



220 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 



"Water Bread. 



I quart of flour. 

yz pint of water, — generous meas- 
ure. 
I tablespoonful of butter or lard. 



%. cake of compressed yeast, or 

yi gill of liquid yeast. 
Yz teaspoonful of salt. 
I teaspoonful of sugar. 



Sift the flour into the bread bowl. Take out half a cup- 
ful to use in kneading. Put the salt, sugar, and half the 
butter in the flour. Dissolve the yeast and mix with the 
flour. Beat well with a strong spoon. 

Sprinkle flour on the board and knead the dough for 
twenty minutes or half an hour. Return to the bowl, and 
rub the remainder of the butter or lard over it. Cover 
with a clean towel ; then put a tin or wooden cover on the 
bowl and raise and finish as directed in the rule for bread 
made with dry yeast. This will make two small loaves or 
one large one. 

Potato Bread. 



I quart of flour. 

yi pint of boiling water, generous 

measure. 
X cake of compressed yeast, or 

Yz gill of liquid yeast. 



I potato. 

Yz teaspoonful of salt. 

I tablespoonful of sugar. 

I tablespoonful of butter or lard. 



Cover the potato with boiling water and cook for thirty 
minutes. Take it up and mash fine and light ; then pour the 
boihng water on it. Let this stand until it is blood-warm ; 
then beat into it the yeast, sugar, and a pint and a half of 
flour. Beat well for ten minutes ; then cover the dough 
and set it in a warm place to rise. It will take between 
four and five hours. When the dough has risen to a light 
sponge, add the salt and butter or lard to it, and beat well. 

Sprinkle the board with flour, turn the dough out on it 
and knead for fifteen or twenty minutes. Return the dough 
to the bowl ; cover, and set in a warm place to rise. When 
it has risen to more than double the original size, shape it 
into two small loaves, or a loaf of medium size and a small 



BREAD IN VARIOUS FORMS. 



221 



pan of rolls. Cover the bread with a clean towel and raise 
to double the original size. 

If all the dough be put into one loaf, it must be baked 
for one hour ; if two small loaves be made, bake them for 
forty-five minutes. This is delicious bread. Milk may be 
substituted for water. 

Entire-wheat Bread. 



3 gills of water. 

3 pints of entire wheat flour. 

j^ teaspoonful of salt. 

I level tablespoonful of sugar. 



y^ tablespoonful of butter or lard. 

^ cake of compressed yeast, or 

X cupful of liquid yeast. 



Sift the flour into the mixing bowl, but take out a gill to 
use in kneading. Dissolve the yeast in the water. Mix the 
salt, sugar, and butter with the flour, and stir in the yeast 
and water. Beat well ; then knead for twenty minutes or 
half an hour. Cover, and set to rise. Finish the same as 
water bread. 

This bread must be mixed as. soft as possible and should 
be baked thoroughly. Bake a loaf of medium size one 
hour and a quarter. 



Graham Bread. 



I pint of graham meal. 
I pint of white flour. 
3 gills of water, generous meas- 
ure. 



% cake of compressed yeast, or 

}i cup of liquid yeast. 
I level teaspoonful of salt. 
% gill of molasses. 



Sift the meal and flour into the mixing bowl, turning in 
the bran also. Dissolve the yeast in the water, and add 
the salt and molasses to it. Turn this mixture out on the 
flour, and beat the dough vigorously for twenty minutes or 
longer. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise over night. 
In the morning wet the hand in cold water and beat the 
dough for five or ten minutes ) then shape, and put in a 
well buttered pan. Let it rise to nearly double the original 



222 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

size, and bake for an hour and a half, having the oven quite 
hot the first half-hour, and very moderate the last hour. 

Success in making this bread depends upon the thorough 
beating and baking. Flours vary so much that it is impos- 
sible to give the exact amount of liquid, but the dough 
should be as thick as you can mix and beat it with the 
hand. It must, however, never be kneaded stiff, like bread 
made with white flour. 

Rye Bread. 

Substitute rye meal for graham, and proceed exactly as 
directed for graham bread. 

Rye Bread, No. 2. 

Make this bread as directed for entire-wheat bread, sub- 
stituting fine rye flour for the entire-wheat flour. 



Boston Brown Bread. 



3 gills of corn meal. 
3 gills of rye meal. 
5 gills of sweet milk. 
I gill of molasses. 



I level teaspoonful of salt. 

1 level teaspoonful of soda. 

2 tablespoonf uls of cold water. 



Sift all the meal into a bowl. Put the milk, molasses, 
and salt into a bowl. Dissolve the soda in the cold water 
and add to the liquid ingredients. Stir this into the meal 
and beat vigorously for five minutes or more ; then put 
into a well buttered brown-bread tin and steam for five 
hours ; or the batter may be put into three one-pound 
baking-powder cans. They will steam in less time than 
if in the large loaf. Whatever sort of tin the loaf be 
steamed in, it must have a cover. It will do no harm to 
cook this bread more than five hours, but if in the large loaf 
it must not cook less. Graham meal may be substituted 
for the rye. 



BREAD IN VARIOUS FORMS. 



223 



Steamed Indian Bread. 



]^ pint of corn meal. 

% pint of flour. 

I pint of sour milk or buttermilk. 

3 tablespoonf uls of cold water. 

I teaspoonf ul of butter. 



y^ teaspoonful of salt. 
y^ teaspoonful of soda. 
2 tablespoonfuls of molasses, gen- 
erous measure. 



Sift the meal and flour into the mixing bowl, and add the 
salt. Mix the milk and molasses together. Dissolve the 
soda in the water and stir into the milk and molasses. Add 
this to the flour and meal, and beat well. Now add the 
butter, melted, and turn the batter into a well buttered 
bread pan. Cover the pan and place in the steamer. 
Cook for four hours and a half. Take the pan from the 
steamer, and cook in a moderate oven for half an hour 
longer. 

This bread is delicious served hot from the oven, or 
toasted and buttered, or- toasted and served with hot cream 
poured over it. 

Pulled Bread. 

Tear the crust from a part of a loaf of baker's bread. 
Now tear the crumb of the loaf into long, thin pieces. 
Spread the torn bread in a pan and put in a hot oven to 
become brown and crisp. It will take about fifteen minutes. 
Serve hot with cheese. Pulled bread is also nice with 
chocolate or coflee. 

Rolls from Bread Dough. 

It is almost impossible to shape and raise rolls for an 
early breakfast, but if one have a cold room or a refrigerator 
the rolls can be put in the pan the night before, and they 
will then be ready to bake for breakfast. Reserve about 
a pint and a half of the risen bread dough and work into 
it a tablespoonful of butter or lard. Put the dough in a 
bowl ; cover it with a plate and place the bowl in the 
refrigerator or in a cold room. In the evening shape the 



224 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

dough into rolls and rub a little soft butter over them. 
Cover the pan closely, but leave ample room for the rolls to 
rise ; then put in the refrigerator or cold room. Bake in 
the morning in a moderately hot oven for half an hour. 



Sponge Rolls. 



I pint of flour. 

% pint of warm water. 

I teaspoonful of sugar. 



Yz teaspoonful of salt. 
I tablespoonful of butter. 
yi cupful pf yeast. 



Sift the flour into a bowl ; then add the salt and sugar. 
Melt the butter in the warm water (be sure it is not above 
1 00°), and add the yeast. Put this mixture with the flour, 
and beat thoroughly with a strong spoon. Cover the bowl 
and let the dough rise over night. In the morning butter a 
French- roll pan and half fill each compartment with the 
sponge, being careful not to break it down unnecessarily. 
Let the rolls rise for an hour and bake them in a moderately 
hot oven for half an hour. 



Parker House Rolls. 



I Yz pints of flour. 

Yz pint of milk, scant measure. 

I teaspoonful of sugar. 



I tablespoonful of butter or lard. 

% cake of compressed yeast, or 

X cupful of liquid yeast. 



Boil the milk, and let it cool. Sift the flour into the 
mixing bowl. Mix the salt and sugar with the flour. Make 
a hole in the middle of the flour, by drawing it back to the 
sides of the pan. Pour the milk very gently into this place, 
being careful not to wet the flour above the point where 
the milk will come when it is all poured in. Now add the 
dissolved yeast, stirring gently at the bottom of the pan. 
Cover the bowl and set in a warm place for four hours; 
then stir the mixture until a dough is formed. Add the 
butter or lard, and knead on the board for twenty minutes. 
Do not use any flour in kneading. Put the dough back in 



BREAD IN VARIOUS FORMS. 225 

the bowl ; cover, and set in a warm place to rise to nearly 
three times the original size (it will take about three hours 
for this) . Next put the dough on the board and roll down 
to the thickness of half an inch. Cut the dough with an 
oval cutter. Place a small round stick on the roll, about 
one third of the distance from the end. Press with the 
stick until the dough is half as thick here as in other parts. 
Fold the short end of the dough over, and the roll will be 
shaped. A little soft butter may be placed between the 
folds. Place the rolls in a buttered pan, having them a 
little way apart. Cover, and set in rather a cool place — 
say seventy degrees — until the rolls are risen to a little 
more than double the original size. Bake them in a moder- 
ately hot oven for twenty minutes. 

Caution. Do not use any flour in kneading the dough, 
and when it has risen put no flour on the board when it is to 
be rolled out. The risen dough must not be kneaded, merely 
turned on the board and rolled thin. If the rolls be re- 
quired for luncheon begin them at half past seven or eight 
o'clock in the morning, and double the amount of yeast. 
The raising time will then be only half that given. This 
dough can be used for luncheon rolls and pin wheels. 



Milk Rolls. 



I pint of flour. 
1% gills of milk. 
yi cupful of yeast. 



I tablespoonful of butter. 
%. teaspoonful of salt. 
I teaspoonful of sugar. 



Boil the milk, and add the butter, sugar, and salt to it. 
Let the mixture stand until it becomes blood- warm ; then 
add the yeast. Pour this new mixture on the flour, and beat 
well with a strong spoon; then knead on the board for 
twenty minutes. Return the dough to the bowl, and cover 
closely, — first with a towel, then with a tin or wooden cover. 
Set in a warm place over night. In the morning shape in 
either long or cleft rolls, and let these rise in the pans for 

15 



226 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

an hour and a quarter, or until they have doubled in size. 
Bake in a moderately hot oven for half an hour, if the rolls 
be placed close together ; but if they be detached, as would 
be the case with cleft rolls, bake for only fifteen or twenty 
minutes. 

Luncheon Rolls. 

Make the dough for milk rolls. In the morning work it 
well in the bowl ; then sprinkle the board hghtly with flour, 
and roll the dough down to the thickness of a quarter of an 
inch. Spread this with soft butter and roll up as for a jelly 
roll. Cut from this sHces about an inch thick, and set 
them on end in a buttered baking-pan. Have the rolls a 
little way apart and let them rise to double the original 
size. Bake them in a moderately hot oven for twenty-five 
minutes. 

Baking Powder Biscuit. 



I pint of flour, measured before 

sifting. 
y^. pint of milk, scant measure, 
i^ teaspoonfuls of baking powder. 



Yi teaspoonful of salt. 
Yz tablespoonf ul of butter. 
Yi tablespoonful of lard. 
Yz teaspoonful of sugar. 



Mix thoroughly in a sieve the flour, sugar, salt, and bak- 
ing powder, and then rub through the sieve. Rub the but- 
ter and lard into this mixture. Have the oven very hot, 
the pans buttered, the board, cutter, and rolling pin ready. 
Now add the milk to the mixture, stirring quickly and vigor- 
ously with a strong spoon. Sprinkle the board with flour 
and turn out the dough upon it. Roll down to the thick- 
ness of about half an inch and cut with a small cutter. 
Bake in a quick oven. Do not crowd the biscuit in the pan. 
If they be cut small, and the oven be very hot, they wifl 
bake in ten or twelve minutes. They should not stand in 
the oven after they are done. 



BREAD IN VARIOUS FORMS. 22/ 

It is impossible to give in this receipt the exact quantity 
of milk to use, flour varies so much ; but the dough should 
be mixed as soft as it is possible to handle. 

Quick Luncheon Rolls. 

Follow the rule for baking powder biscuit ; then roll the 
dough thin, spread it with soft butter and roll up like jelly 
roll. Cut the roll into slices about three quarters of an inch 
thick and set them on end in a baking-pan, having them a 
little way apart. Bake them in a quick oven for about fif- 
teen minutes. 

Pin Wheels. 

Make the dough for milk rolls, and when it has risen, roll 
it as thin as possible. Spread it with soft butter and 
sprinkle over this half a cupful of sugar and one tablespoon- 
ful of cinnamon mixed together. Roll up like a jelly roll 
and cut into slices about half an inch thick. Place these 
slices in a well buttered pan and let them rise to double the 
original size. Bake in a moderately hot oven for twenty- 
five minutes. 

If you prefer, a baking powder biscuit dough may be used 
and the pin wheels be baked in a quick oven for fifteen 
minutes. 

Crumpets. 



I pint of flour, generous measure. 
I pint of warm water. 
ys cupful of yeast. 



}4 teaspoonful of salt. 
^ teaspoonful of sugar. 
2 tablespoonf uls of butter. 



Put the flour, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Add the water 
and yeast, and beat vigorously for fifteen minutes. Cover 
the bowl, and set in a warm place over night. In the morn- 
ing beat in the melted butter and pour the batter into but- 
tered muffin pans. Let the crumpets rise for an hdur, and 
bake them for half an hour in a moderate oven. 



228 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

If you choose you may add the butter to the mixture at 
night. In that case the risen sponge may be taken out by 
spoonfuls, being careful not to break it down, and the crum- 
pets will then require only half an hour to rise. 

Crumpets may be baked on a griddle instead of in muffin 
pans. If they are baked on a griddle, measure the quart of 
flour lightly. When ready to fry them, butter the muffin 
rings and also a griddle, which should not be so hot as for 
common griddle-cakes. Place the buttered rings on the 
griddle and put a spoonful of the batter in each one. When 
the crumpets get done on one side, turn them, and brown 
the other side. It will take about twelve minutes to cook 
them. 



Sally Lunn. 



I pint of flour. 

y^, pint of milk. 

I tablespoonful of sugar. 

% teaspoonful of salt. 



I Yz tablespoonf uls of butter. 

Y cake of compressed yeast, or 

Y cupful of liquid yeast. 
I egg. 



Sift the flour and mix with it the sugar and salt. Heat 
the milk to about a hundred degrees, and dissolve the butter 
in it. Dissolve the compressed yeast in two tablespoonfuls 
of tepid water, and stir into the milk and butter. Separate 
the parts of the %gg, and beat the white until light ; then 
beat the yolk well. Add the milk mixture and the egg to 
the flour, and beat well. Pour this batter into a well but- 
tered cake pan. Cover, and let it rise in a warm place for 
two hours. Bake for half an hour in a moderately hot oven, 
and serve on a hot dish. This is suitable for luncheon or 
supper. If any of the cake be left, split, toast, and butter it. 



Flour Pop-overs, 



I pint of flour. 
I pint of milk. 
3 eggs. 



I teaspoonful of salt. 
I teaspoonful of sugar. 



BREAD IN VARIOUS FORMS. 229 

Pop-overs should always be baked in stone or earthen- 
ware cups that come for the purpose, the former being by 
far the better. Have a dozen cups buttered and arranged 
in an old dripping-pan. Put the sifted flour, sugar, and 
salt in a mixing bowl. Beat the eggs until 
very light ; then add the milk to them. 
Pour this mixture on the flour, only half of 
it at first, and beat until the batter is smooth 
and light, say for about five minutes. Pour 
the batter into the cups and bake in a mod- muffin cup. 
erately hot oven for fifty minutes. They should, when 
done, have increased to four times their original size. 

If only half a dozen pop- overs be wanted, use half of all 
the other materials, and take two small eggs or a very large 
one. 




Rye Pop-overs. 



y^ pint of wheat flour. 
3 gills of rye meal. 
I pint of milk. 



3 eggs. 

1 teaspoonful of salt. 

2 tablespoonfuls of sugar. 



Make these the same as flour pop-overs, only bake them 
one hour. 

Graham Pop-overs. 

Made the same as the rye, substituting graham for rye. 



Wheat Gems. 



^ pint of flour. 
Yz pint of milk. 
I large egg. 



I teaspoonful of sugar. 
J^ teaspoonful of salt. 



Beat the egg till it is light, and add the milk to it. Add 
half of this mixture to the flour, salt, and sugar. Beat well, 
and add the remainder of the milk and eggs ; then beat for 
five minutes longer. Pour the batter into hot buttered gem- 
pans and bake in a quick oven for twenty-five minutes. 



230 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 



Raised Wheat Muffins. 



I generous pint of flour. 
^ pint of milk. 
I tablespoonful of butter. 
Yz tablespoonful of sugar. 



Y, teaspoonful of salt. 
I egg. 

^ cupful of yeast, or 3^ of a yeast 
cake. 



Put the flour, salt, and sugar in a deep earthen bowl. 
Boil the milk and add the butter to it. Let this mixture 
stand until only tepid ; then add the milk, 
butter, and yeast to the flour, and beat 

MUFFIN PANS. ^^\\^ Cover the bowl and let it stand in 
rather a cool part of the kitchen, unless the weather be very 
cold ; in which case it will be necessary to keep the bowl in 
a warm place. When morning comes, the batter will be 
found to have risen to a light sponge. Beat the egg till 
very light and add it to this sponge, beating in well. Half 
fill well buttered muffin pans with the batter; cover, and 
let the muffins rise in a warm place for one hour. Bake for 
half an hour in a moderately quick oven. 

These muffins should not be set to rise before nine o'clock 
at night. They are nice for luncheon or tea, but when they 
are intended for luncheon put them to rise in the morning 
and use almost twice as much yeast as you otherwise would. 
With the quantity of materials stated above, a dozen muf- 
can be made. 

Sour Milk or Buttermilk Muffins. 



3 gills of flour. 

Yz pint of sour milk. 

I egg. 

I teaspoonful of sugar. 



Y. teaspoonful of soda. 
Yz teaspoonful of salt. 

1 tablespoonful of cold water. 

2 level tablespoonfuls of butter. 



Melt the butter in a hot cup. Put the dry ingredients in 
a mixing bowl. Beat the egg till it is light. Dissolve the 
soda in the water and add it to the milk. Stir well, and add 
to the dry mixture ; then add the egg, and finally the melted 



BREAD IN VARIOUS FORMS. 



231 



butter. Beat well and pour into hot buttered gem-pans. 
Bake for twenty minutes. 



Graham Muffins. 



I gill of cold water. 
I gill of sweet milk. 
% pint of graham. 
yz pint of wheat flour. 
Yz teaspoonful of salt. 



2 even teaspoonfuls of baking 

powder. 
2 tablespoonf uls of molasses. 



Mix the graham, flour, salt, and baking powder together, 
and rub through a sieve. Beat the t^^g till very light, and 
add the milk and molasses to it. Turn this mixture on 
the dry ingredients, and beat vigorously for about a minute. 
Fill a dozen well buttered muffin cups with the batter, and 
bake in a moderately hot oven for half an hour. 

Sugar may be substituted for the molasses. These muf- 
fins, when cold, are good for luncheon or dinner. 

Rye Muffins. 
Make them the same as graham muffins. 

Graham Muffins with Sour Milk. 



^ pint of sour milk. 
y^ pint of graham. 

1 gill of flour. 

2 tablespoonfuls of sugar. 



]/^ teaspoonful of soda. 
^ teaspoonful of salt. 
I tablespoonful of water. 
I egg. 



Make in the same way flour muffins are made, and bake 
for half an hour. 



Rye Muffins with Sour Milk. 

Make these the same as graham with sour milk, substi- 
tuting rye meal for graham. 



232 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 



Cream of Tartar Muffins. 



I pint of flour, measured before 

sifting. 
3 scant gills of milk. 
I teaspoonful of cream of tartar. 
^ teaspoonful of soda. 



^■teaspoonful of salt. 
I teaspoonful of sugar, 
Yz tablespoonful of butter. 
Yz tablespoonful of lard. 



Mix all the dry ingredients and rub them through a sieve 
and into a bowl. Add the milk, and then the butter and 
lard, melted. Beat quickly, and put into heated and buttered 
iron gem-pans. Bake for fifteen minutes in a quick oven. 
If more convenient, two scant teaspoonfuls of baking pow- 
der may be substituted for the soda and cream of tartar. 

With these ingredients a dozen muffins can be made. 

Blueberry Muffins. 

Make these the same as cream of tartar muffins, using, 
however, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, and lightly stirring 
into the batter half a pint of blueberries. 

Yellow Corn Meal Muffins. 



% pint of yellow corn meal. 

% pint of flour. 

2^ gills of milk. 

2 tablespoonfuls of butter. 



2 tablespoonfuls of sugar. 

Y teaspoonful of salt. 

xYl teaspoonfuls baking powder. 

I egg. 



Mix all the dry ingredients and rub them through a sieve 
and into a bowl. Melt the butter in a hot cup. Beat the 
egg till light. Add the milk to it and turn this mixture 
into the bowl containing the dry ingredients. Add the 
melted butter, and beat quickly and vigorously. Pour 
into buttered muffin pans and bake for half an hour in a 
moderate oven. 



BREAD IN VARIOUS FORMS. 



22>Z 



White Corn Meal Muffins. 



^ pint of white corn meal. 
^ pint of sifted flour. 
^ pint of milk, generous meas- 
ure. 
2 tablespoonfuls of butter. 



i}4, teaspoonfuls baking powder. 
4 tablespoonfuls of boiling water. 
2 tablespoonfuls of sugar. 
% teaspoonful of salt. 



Put the butter in a hot cup and pour the boiHng water 
over it. Set on the back part of the stove. Mix all the 
dry ingredients and rub through a sieve and into a bowl. 
Beat the &gg till light, and add the milk to it. Stir this 
mixture into the dry ingredients. Add the melted butter 
and water. Pour into buttered muffin pans and bake for 
half an hour in a moderate oven. 

With these ingredients a dozen muffins can be made. 

Corn Bread. 



yz pint of flour. 

1 gill of corn meal. 
y^ pint of milk. 

2 tablespoonfuls of sugar. 

I generous tablespoonf ul of butter. 



1% teaspoonfuls baking powder. 
y^ teaspoonful of salt. 
2 tablespoonfuls of boiling water. 
I egg. 



Mix all the dry ingredients together and rub through a 
sieve. Beat the egg till light, and add the milk to it ; then 
pour this mixture on the dry ingredients, which should be 
beaten well. Now add the butter, first melting it in the 
hot water. Pour the batter into a well buttered pan and 
bake for half an hour in a moderately hot oven. 



Spider Corn Cake. 



% cupful of corn meal. 
% cupful of flour. 
%. teaspoonful of salt. 
I tablespoonful of sugar. 
y^ teaspoonful of soda. 



I cupful of sweet milk. 
^ cupful of sour milk. 
I tablespoonful of butter. 
I egg. 




234 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

Have a small short-handled, cast-iron frying-pan heating 
on the top of the stove. Put all the dry ingredients, except 
the soda, in a sieve and rub through 
into a bowl. Dissolve the soda in 
half a cupful of the sweet milk, and 
FRYING-PAN. ^dd it to the sour. Stir this mixture 

and the well beaten egg into the dry ingredients. Butter 
the hot frying-pan with the one tablespoonful of butter, 
and pour the batter into the pan. Now pour the other 
half cupful of milk, slowly and gently, over the mixture in 
the pan (it must not be stirred). Put the pan in a 
moderately hot oven, and cook the cake for half an hour. 
Slip out on a hot plate and serve at once. 



Corn Dodgers. 



3 gills of corn meal. 
% teaspoonf ul of salt. 
I tablespoonful of sugar. 
I teaspoonful of butter. 



% pint of boiling water, — gen- 
erous. 

Sausage or pork fat, or any good 
drippings for frying. 



Put the m^al, salt, sugar, and butter in a bowl and pour 
the boiling water on the mixture. Beat the batter vigor- 
ously for two or three minutes ; then shape it with the 
hands into small, flat cakes. Have in the frying-pan hot 
fat to the depth of half an inch. When it is smoking hot, 
put in the cakes and fry on one side until brown, then turn 
and brown on the other side. Serve very hot. 

Baltimore Hominy Bread. 



I gill of fine breakfast hominy. 
I gill of milk. 
I pint of water. 



I level teaspoonful of salt. 

1 tablespoonful of butter. 

2 eggs. 



Wash the hominy, and stir it into the pint of boiling 
water. Add the salt, and boil gently for one hour, stirring 
often ; or half an hour will do, if you can afford no more 



BREAD IN VARIOUS FORMS. 235 

time. Take the cooked hominy from the fire and beat the 
butter into it ; then add the milk, and beat for four or five 
minutes. Beat the eggs till light, and add them to the 
other ingredients. Butter a deep earthen plate and pour 
the mixture into it. Bake in rather a hot oven for half an 
hour. Serve in the dish in which it is baked. 

This bread is nice with any kind of meat, but particularly 
with broiled or fried bacon. 

Buckwheat Cakes. 



I pint of buckwheat. 

I gill of white corn meal. 

I teaspoonful of salt. 

I tablespoonful of molasses. 



]4, teaspoonful of soda. 
I gill of yeast. 

1 generous pint of warm water. 

2 tablespoonfuls of cold water. 



Put the buckwheat, meal, and salt in a deep pail, and 
add to the mixture the water, yeast, and molasses. Beat 
vigorously for twenty minutes. Cover the pail and set in 
a warm place until morning. In the morning rub the soda 
through a fine sieve, letting it fall on the batter. Beat well. 
Fry on a griddle, serving as soon as cooked. Reserve one 
pint of the batter for raising the next batch of cakes. It 
should be kept in the refrigerator or the cellar. 

Remember that success in making buckwheat cakes de- 
pends largely upon a thorough beating and careful raising. 

Sour Milk Griddle Cakes. 



I pint of sour milk. 

I generous pint of sifted flour. 

I teaspoonful of salt. 

I rounded teaspoonful of soda. 



I teaspoonful of sugar. 
I tablespoonful of butter. 
I tablespoonful of water. 
I egg. 



Dissolve the soda in the water and stir into the sour 
milk. Add the flour, salt, and sugar, and beat well ; then 
add the egg, well beaten, and the butter, melted. If there 



236 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

be plenty of sour cream, use a gill, and omit the butter. 
Put the cream in the measure and then fill up with the 
sour milk. 

Baking Powder Griddle Cakes. 



Yz pint of sweet milk. 

Yz, pint of flour, 

^ teaspoonful of salt. 



I teaspoonful of sugar. 

1 teaspoonful of baking powder. 

2 tablespoonfuls of melted butter. 



Mix all the dry ingredients and rub through a sieve. 
Pour the milk upon them, and beat well. Add the but- 
ter, and beat a minute longer. Fry in small cakes on a 
griddle. 

Sour Milk Indian Griddle Cakes. 

Make these the same as flour griddle cakes, using half 
flour and half corn meal. 

Sour Milk Graham Griddle Cakes. 

Make these the same as the Indian, substituting an equal 
quantity of graham for corn meal. 

Hominy Griddle Cakes. 



I pint of boiling water. 

I gill of fine breakfast hominy. 

Yz pint of flour. 



Yz pint of milk. 

I teaspoonful of salt. 

I Qg'g, — two would be better. 



Put the hominy and half the salt in the boiling water, and 
cook for half an hour, stirring frequently. At the end of 
that time take from the fire and add to it the milk, flour, 
and remainder of the salt, and beat vigorously for fifteen 
minutes ; then add the eggs, whites and yolks beaten sep- 
arately. Fry in very small cakes on a hot griddle. 



BREAD IN VARIOUS FORMS. 237 



Hominy Griddle Cakes with Sour Milk. 



Yz pint of cooked hominy. 
y^ pint of sour milk. 
Yz pint of flour. 
Y. teaspoonf ul of salt. 



Y teaspoonful of soda. 
I tablespoonful of water, 
I egg. 



Have the hominy freshly cooked or warmed over. Dis- 
solve the soda in the cold water and stir into the sour 
milk. Add the flour, salt, and hominy, and beat well ; 
then put in the egg, also well beaten. Fry in small cakes. 

Ground Rice Griddle Cakes. 



I pint of milk. 

1 Yz gills of water. 

3 gills of wheat flour. 

2 tablespoonfuls of rice flour. 



1 tablespoonful of sugar. 

Y teaspoonful of salt. 

Y teaspoonful of soda. 

2 eggs. 



Put the milk on to heat in the double -boiler. Mix the 
rice flour with one gill of the water and stir into the boiling 
milk. Cook for twenty minutes, stirring often. Turn the 
cooked mixture into a large bowl and stir occasionally 
while cooling. This is to prevent the forming of a crust on 
the batter. When cold, add the salt and sugar, and the 
soda, dissolved in half a gill of cold water. Now beat in 
the flour. Finally add the eggs, whites and yolks beaten 
separately. Fry in small cakes on a hot griddle, and serve 
immediately. 

Blueberry Griddle Cakes. 



Y pint of sour milk. 

Y pint of flour. 

Y pint of blueberries. 



Y teaspoonful of soda. 

Y teaspoonful of salt, 

I tablespoonful of water. 



Dissolve the soda in the cold water. Stir this into the 
sour milk. Now add the flour and salt, and beat well. 
Stir the berries in very gently. Fry the same as any other 
griddle cakes. 



238 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 
Bread G-riddle Cakes. 



I pint of stale bread. 

3 gills of milk. 

I gill of flour. 

y^, teaspoonful of salt. 



J4^ nutmeg, grated. 

% teaspoonful of soda. 

2 eggs. 

2 tablespoonfuls of sugar. 



Soak the bread in the milk for several hours, then rub it 
through a colander. Add the seasonings, the soda, dis- 
solved in a tablespoonful of cold water, and then the flour. 
Beat well, and add the eggs, well beaten. Fry on a moder- 
ately hot griddle. 

These cakes take longer to cook than the ordinary batter 
cake. If eggs be dear, use two more tablespoonfuls of 
flour, and omit one egg. 



Raised Flannel Cakes. 



% pint of flour. 
I gill of corn meal. 
2^ gills of milk. 
I teaspoonful of sugar. 



y^ teaspoonful of salt. 
I tablespoonful of yeast. 

I tablespoonful of butter. 



Boil the milk and pour it on the corn meal. Let this 
stand until it becomes tepid. Add the yeast, and pour the 
liquid mixture on the dry ingredients. Beat well; then 
cover the bowl and let it stand in a warm place over night. 
In the morning add the ^gg, white and yolk beaten sepa- 
rately. Fry the cakes on a griddle. 



Waffles. 



Yz pint of milk. 
Yz pint of flour. 
2 tablespoonfuls of butter. 



2 eggs. 

Y- teaspoonful of salt. 



Warm the milk, and melt the butter in it. Let the mix- 
ture cool to about blood-heat. Beat the yolks of the eggs 
till light, and add the milk and butter to them. Pour this 



BREAD IN VARIOUS FORMS. 



239 



mixture on the flour and beat well. Beat the whites of the 
eggs to a froth, and stir them into the batter. Add the salt. 




WAFFLE-IRON. 

Have the waffle-iron hot and well greased, and fry the 
waffles at once. Serve them the moment they are taken 
from the irons. 

If eggs be scarce, use one egg and half a teaspoonful of 
baking powder. 

In cooking waffles it is important to have both halves 
of the iron equally hot ; and to insure this the iron must 
be turned frequently, both before and after the batter is 
poured in. 



240 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 



Hominy Waffles. 



^ pint of hot boiled hominy* 
y^ pint of milk. 

1 pint of flour, generous measure, 

2 tablespoonfuls of butter. 



2 eggs. 

I teaspoonful of baking powder. 

Yz teaspoonful of salt. 



Stir the butter and salt into the hot hominy. Gradually 
beat in the milk ; then let the mixture cool. Mix the 
baking powder with the flour, and sift into the hominy 
mixture. Beat well ; then add the eggs, well beaten, and 
cook in hot irons. Serve the waffles the instant they come 
from the irons. 

Raised Wheat Waffles. 



I pint of flour, 

3 gills of milk. 

yi cupful of yeast. 

I tablespoonf ul of sugar. 



2 tablespoonfuls of butter. 
% teaspoonful of salt. 



Boil the milk, and, after adding the butter to it, let the 
mixture stand until cool. Put the flour, sugar, and salt in a 
bowl. Add the milk and yeast, and beat well for fifteen 
minutes, or even twenty. Let this batter rise over night. 
In the morning add the egg, well beaten. Have the waffle- 
irons hot and well greased, and cook the cakes quickly. 
They should be served the moment they come from the 
irons. They will be sufficiently cooked as soon as they are 
browned on both sides. 



CHAPTER XVI. 



CAKE. 



Raised Fruit Cake. 



3 gills of raised dough. 
I gill of butter. 
J^ gill of wine. 

1 gill of flour. 

2 gills of sugar. 



% teaspoonful of soda. 
3 tablespoonfuls of water. 
J^ of a nutmeg, grated. 
2 eggs. 
% pound of raisins. 



Dissolve the soda in the cold water and work into the 
dough. Now add the butter, sugar, nutmeg, wine, and the 
eggs, well beaten. Mix all thoroughly, and then beat in 
the flour. Stir in the raisins, and put into a deep well 
buttered bread -pan to rise for one hour. Bake for an 
hour and a half in a moderately hot oven. 



Spice Cake. 



^ cupful of butter. 

y^ cupful of sugar. 

%. cupful of molasses. 

2 cupful^ of flour, scant measure. 

Vz cupful of sour milk. 

% teaspoonful of ginger. 



y% teaspoonful of salt. 

I teaspoonful of cinnamon. 

Yz teaspoonful of soda. 

^ of a nutmeg, grated. 

The juice and rind of half a lemon. 



Beat the butter to a cream. Gradually beat into it the 
sugar, then the spice and lemon, and next the molasses. 
Now dissolve the soda in one tablespoonful of cold water, 
and stir it into the sour milk. Add this and the &gg, well 
beaten, to the other ingredients. Lastly, add the flour, and 

i6 



242 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

beat briskly for half a minute. Pour into a well buttered 
pan, and bake in a moderate oven for about fifty minutes. 

This cake will keep moist for a week or ten days. If 
one like fruit, half a cupful of stoned raisins and half a 
cupful of currants may be stirred lightly into the batter just 
before it is put in the pan. 

Blackberry Jam Cake. 



% cupful of butter. 

% cupful of sugar, 

I generous cupful of flour. 

% cupful of stoned raisins. 

% cupful of blackberry jam. 



2 tablespoonfuls of sour cream 

or milk. 
% teaspoonful of soda. 
j4 oi a. nutmeg, grated. 
2 eggs. 



Beat the butter to a cream, then beat in the sugar. 
When very light, beat in the jam and nutmeg. Dissolve 
the soda in one tablespoonful of cold water, and add it to 
the sour cream. Add this and the egg, well beaten, to the 
other ingredients. Now add the flour, and beat for half a 
minute. Sprinkle a tablespoonful of flour over the raisins, 
and stir them in lightly. Pour the batter into a well but- 
tered pan, and bake for fifty minutes. This makes one 
small loaf. 

This cake may be put away to be used as a pudding when 
convenient. Steam it for one hour, and serve with a wine 
sauce. It is almost as good as a plum pudding. 

Rich Sponge Cake. 

6 large eggs. 3 gills of flour. 



3 gills of sugar. 



I lemon. 



Grate a little of the lemon rind into a deep saucer. 
Squeeze the juice on this. Beat the yolks of the eggs and 
the sugar together until the mixture is a light, spongy mass. 
Add the lemon juice and rind, and beat a little longer. 
Beat the whites of the eggs with a whisk until a thick white 



CAKE. 243 

froth is formed. Cut the flour and whites of eggs into the 
sugar and yolks, adding only a little at a time, and doing 
the work lightly and gently, so as not to break down the 
frothy egg. Pour the mixture into a well buttered pan, and 
bake in a moderate oven, the time of baking depending 
upon the thickness of the loaf. If it be three inches deep 
when put in the pan, it will take one hour to bake. It is 
essential that the oven should be very slow at first. This 
will cause the sponge to rise evenly, making the cake ten- 
der, rich, and moist. 



Plain Sponge Cake. 



3 eggs. 

3 gills of sugar. 

I pint of flour. 

I gill of cold water. 



I lemon. 

I teaspoonful of cream of tartar. 

^ teaspoonful of soda. 

}4. teaspoonful of salt. 



Beat the eggs together until light. Add the sugar, and 
beat with a spoon for ten minutes or longer. The sugar 
and eggs must be beaten until they form a light, spongy 
mass. Add the juice of the lemon, and beat a little longer. 
Dissolve the soda in the cold water. Mix the cream of tar- 
tar with the flour. Stir the water and soda into the egg 
mixture ; then add the flour. Beat well, and pour into the 
pans and bake. 

These materials will make two sheets, or one sheet and 
a small, round loaf, or one sheet and one cake, baked in a 
deep round tin. The round cake can be used for a cream, 
Washington, or chocolate pie. A part of the batter may be 
baked in a pudding dish, and served with a liquid sauce ; 
or a part of the batter may be baked in tin muffin cups, 
putting a teaspoonful in each cup. 

This sponge cake is one of the most useful and satisfac- 
tory when made properly. . Great care must be taken to 
have the sugar and eggs beaten together thoroughly. 



244 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 



Corn Starch Cake. 



I gill of butter. 
lyi gills of sugar, 
i^ gills of flour. 
^ gill of corn starch. 
}^ gill of milk. 



yi teaspoonful of cream of tartar. 
X teaspoonful of soda. 
2 eggs. 
Flavor. 



Beat the butter to a cream, and gradually beat the sugar 
into it. Beat the eggs separately, and stir them into the 
creamed sugar and butter. Dissolve the soda in the milk, 
and add this. Mix together the flour, corn starch, and 
cream of tartar, and add to the other ingredients. Flavor 
the batter, and beat vigorously for a few seconds ; then 
turn into a well buttered shallow cake pan. Bake for thirty 
minutes in a moderate oven. 

A good flavor for this cake is one tablespoonful of lemon 
juice and a light grating of the rind of a fresh lemon. 

Angel Cake. 



5 whites of eggs. 

I scant gill of pastry flour, meas- 
ured after sifting. 



i}i gills of powdered sugar. 

y^ teaspoonful of cream of tartar. 

yi teaspoonful of vanilla. 



Mix the cream of tartar with the flour, and sift four times. 
Beat the whites of the eggs to a stifl", dry froth. Sift the 
powdered sugar on the eggs, and beat for three minutes. 
Add the vaniUa. Gradually add the flour, and beat it in 
quickly. Pour the batter into an ungreased pan, and put 
into rather a cool oven. Bake for about forty minutes. 

When the cake is baked, take the pan from the oven and 
invert it, letting it rest on a sieve or rack, so that there 
shall be a current of air under and over the pan while the 
cake is cooling. 

Success in making angel cake depends upon the proper 
beating of the eggs and a slow oven. 



CAKP. 



245 



Rich Cup Cake. 



% pint of sugar. 
]A, cupful of butter. 
3 gills of flour. 
% gill of milk. 



2 large eggs. 

yi teaspoonful of cream of tartar, 

%. teaspoonful of soda. 

Flavor. 



Beat the butter to a cream, and gradually beat the sugar 
into it. Beat the eggs separately, and add to the sugar 
and butter. Dissolve the soda in the milk, and stir into the 
mixture. Now add the flour, in which the cream of tartar 
should be mixed. Flavor with any spice or extract you 
like, or with the grated yellow rind of a lemon and one 
tablespoonful of the juice. Pour the batter into a buttered 
pan, and bake in a moderate oven for forty-five minutes, if 
in a deep loaf ; but if in a sheet, thirty minutes' time will 
be enough. 

Plain Cup Cake. 



1 gill of sugar. 

2 tablespoonfuls of butter. 
I gill of milk. 

3 gills of flour, scant measure. 



I large Qgg. 

% teaspoonful of soda. 

I teaspoonful of cream of tartar. 

Flavor. 



Beat the butter to a cream, and gradually beat the sugar 
into it. Add the Q%g, unbeaten, and beat the mixture vig- 
orously for three or four minutes. Add the flavor and milk, 
and lastly the flour, in which the soda and cream of tartar 
should be thoroughly mixed. Pour the batter into a shal- 
low cake pan, and sift powdered sugar over it. Bake in a 
moderate oven for twenty-five minutes. 



Cold Water Cake. 



% pint of sugar. 
I gill of cold water. 

1 scant gill of butter. 

2 small eggs. 

3 gills of flour. 

Yi teaspoonful of soda. 



% pint of citron, currants, and 
raisins, in equal parts; the 
raisins to be stoned and 
chopped. 

% teaspoonful of cinnamon. 

% teaspoonful of grated nutmeg. 



V> 



246 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Beat the butter to a cream, and gradually beat into it the 
sugar. Add the yolks of the eggs, and beat well. Dissolve 
the soda in the water, and add to the mixture. Beat vigor- 
ously until the water will not separate from the other ingre- 
dients. Now beat in the spice. Beat the whites of the 
eggs to a stiff froth, and add them to the mixture. Now 
add the flour, and finally stir the fruit in lightly. Bake in 
one deep loaf, or in a thick sheet. If in a loaf, cook_ for 
one hour ; if in a sheet, about thirty-five minutes. 



Swiss Cake. 



2 tablespoonfuls of butter. 

3 gills of sugar. 
y^ pint of milk. 



]/^ pint of flour. 

T^ teaspoonfuls baking powder. 

Flavor to taste. 



Measure the butter scantily, and make it soft in a warm 
bowl. Beat the sugar into it. Have the eggs well beaten, 
and then beat them with the sugar and butter for five min- 
utes. Add the flavor, then the milk, and finally the flour, 
in which the baking powder should be mixed. Bake for 
about twenty-five minutes in a buttered, shallow pan. The 
cake is to be eaten fresh. 



Tea Cake. 



I gill of sugar. 

I gill of milk. 

Yz pint of flour, scant measure. 

I tablespoonful of butter. 



I egg. 

i^ teaspoonfuls baking powder. 

^ of a nutmeg, grated. 



Beat the butter until soft; Beat the sugar into it. Add 
the unbeaten egg, and beat vigorously for five minutes. 
Add the nutmeg and milk, then the flour, in which the 
baking powder should be mixed. Beat vigorously for a few 
seconds, and pour into a buttered cake-pan. Bake in a 
moderately hot oven for twenty minutes, and serve warm. 



CAKE. 247 



Blueberry Cake. 



I generous pint of flour. 
y^ pint of milk. 

1 gill of sugar. 

2 heaped teaspoonfuls of baking 

powder. 



2 tablespoonfuls of butter. 
%, teaspoonf ul of salt. 
I egg. 
Yz pint of blueberries. 



Mix the baking powder, sugar, and salt with the flour, 
and' rub through a sieve. Rub the butter into this mixture. 
Beat the egg till light, and add the milk to it. Add this to 
the dry ingredients, and beat well. Now add the berries, 
stirring as little as possible. Spread the mixture in a well 
buttered shallow baking pan, having it about an inch and a 
half thick. Bake in a moderately hot oven for about twenty- 
five minutes. Serve hot. 

The batter may be put in buttered muffin tins, and 
baked for about twenty minutes. This will fill twelve 
muffin cups. 

Hermits. 

I tablespoonful of milk. 



\yi gills (|4^ of a cupful) of maple 

sugar. 
I gill of butter. 
I pint and a gill (2^ cupfuls) of 

flour. 



I teaspoonful of cinnamon. 
% teaspoonful of soda. 
I gill of currants. 



Beat the butter to a cream, and gradually beat in the 
sugar and spice. Dissolve the soda in the milk, and beat 
this into the sugar and butter. Add the ^g%, well beaten, 
and finally the flour and currants. Roll out about an inch 
thick, and cut in squares. Bake in rather a quick oven for 
about twelve minutes. 

The sugar should be the soft maple. The clove may be 
omitted. If maple sugar is not to be had, white sugar may 
be used. 



248 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 



Maple Sugar Gingerbread. 



I egg. 

1 cupful of thick maple syrup. 

2 cupfuls of flour. 

y^ cupful of sour milk. 
]^ cupful of butter. 



Yz teaspoonful of ginger. 

Yz teaspoonful of soda. 

Y teaspoonful of salt. 

Rind and juice of half a lemon. 



Break up enough maple sugar to fill a half-pint cup. 
Put this into a saucepan with a gill of boiling water, and 
boil until reduced to half a pint ; then cool. Beat the 
butter to a cream, and beat in the syrup and flavors. Dis- 
solve the soda in one tablespoonful of cold water, and stir 
it into the sour milk. Add this and the ^gg, well beaten, 
to the other ingredients. Now add the flour. Beat well 
for half a minute and pour into a well buttered pan. This 
quantity will make one small loaf or a thin sheet. If 
baked in a loaf, cook for fifty minutes \ if in a sheet, about 
twenty-five. 

Soft Molasses Gingerbread. 



1 cupful of molasses. 
Yi. cupful of sugar. 

Yz cupful of sour cream. 

2 cupfuls of flour. 

Y teaspoonful of salt. 



I teaspoonful of soda. 
I teaspoonful of ginger. 

1 teaspoonful of cinnamon. 

2 teaspoonf uls of cold water. 



Beat the &g% till very light and beat the sugar into it, 
working vigorously for three minutes ; then add the mo- 
lasses, spice, and salt, and beat for two minutes longer. 
Dissolve the soda in the cold water, and stir into the sour 
cream. Add this and the flour to the other ingredients, 
and beat vigorously for half a minute. Pour into a well 
buttered shallow pan and bake in a moderately hot oven 
for twenty-five minutes. 

If you cannot get sour cream, use sour milk and two 
tablespoonfuls of melted butter. 



CAKE. 249 



Soft Molasses Gingerbread, No. 2. 



% pint of molasses. 

1 gill of sour milk. 

2 heaped tablespoonfuls butter. 
I pint of flour, scant measure. 



I teaspoonful of soda. 
I teaspoonful of ginger. 
I egg. 



Put the molasses and butter in a tin pan and set on the 
stove. When the mixture boils up, add the soda and gin- 
ger, and take from the fire immediately. Add the milk, 
the egg well beaten, and the flour, and beat well. This 
will fill three round deep plates, or one shallow cake pan 
and a plate. Bake in rather a quick oven for twenty 
minutes. 

Soft Molasses Gingerbread, No. 3. 



^ pint of molasses. 

I pint of flour, scant measure. 

I gill of boiling water. 

I tablespoonful of lard or butter. 



% teaspoonful of salt. 
I teaspoonful of soda. 
I teaspoonful of ginger. 



Put the molasses, butter, soda, and ginger in a tin pan, and 
place on the stove for two minutes ; then add the boiling 
water and the flour. Beat vigorously for five minutes, and 
then turn into a buttered shaflow cake pan and a deep tin 
plate. Bake in a quick oven for twenty minutes. 

Clinton Doughnuts. 



I gill of sugar. 

I gill of sour milk. 

I pint of flour, scant measure. 

% teaspoonful of grated nutmeg. 

^ teaspoonful of salt. 



% teaspoonful of soda. 

]A, teaspoonful of cinnamon. 

I egg. 

Yz tablespoonful of cold water. 



Here is a rule which gives doughnuts that will keep moist 
and good for several days : — 

In the evening beat the butter to a cream and beat the 
sugar and spice into it. Beat the eggs until light, and stir 



250 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

into the mixture of butter and sugar. Dissolve the soda 
in half a tablespoonful of cold water. Stir this mixture 
into the sour milk and add all to the sugar, butter, and eggs. 
Now stir in the flour. Cover the mixture and set it away 
in a cold place until morning. In the morning sprinkle 
the moulding board with flour and put about one fourth of 
the dough on it. RoU this down to the thickness of half 
an inch and cut into round cakes with a hole in the centre. 
If you do not possess a regular doughnut cutter, a biscuit 
cutter will do, as a piece can be cut from the centre with a 
thimble. Fry in lard for about three minutes. 

It is supposed that pastry flour will be used. If, how- 
ever, the " new process " flour be taken, omit one eighth of 
the measure. 



Dropped Doughnuts. 



I gill of milk. 

I gill of sugar. 

3 gills of flour. 

% teaspoonful of salt. 

j^ of a nutmeg, grated. 



The grated yellow rind of a lemon. 
I heaped teaspoonful of baking 

powder. 
I egg. 



Beat the white of the egg to a stiff" froth and beat the 
yolk and sugar with it for three minutes. Add the season- 
ings, next the milk, and finally the flour, in which the baking 
powder should be mixed. Beat well. Drop a teaspoonful 
of this mixture into hot fat and cook for about four minutes, 
turning the doughnuts frequently. Lift them from the fat 
with a wire spoon or a fork. Do not stick the fprk into 
them. When they are drained, sprinkle them with pow- 
dered sugar. Be careful not to have the fat too hot and 
to hold the teaspoonful of batter close to the fat, and the 
doughnuts will come up in round balls. These are very 
delicate. 



CAKE. 



251 



Strawberry Short Cake. 

For the Cake. 



3 gills of flour. 

I gill of milk — generous measure. 

I tablespoonful of sugar. 

]^ teaspoonful of salt. 



2 heaped tablespoonfuls of but- 
ter. 

I heaped teaspoonful of baking 
powder. 



Mix the dry ingredients together and rub twice through 
a sieve. Rub the butter through this mixture ; then wet 
with the milk. Butter a large, deep tin pie plate. Divide 
the dough into two parts and roll them out the size of the 
plate. Lay them in the plate, one on top of the other, 
and bake in a quick oven for twenty minutes. On taking 
the two cakes from the oven, tear them apart. Place the 
under one on a warm plate and butter well ; upon this 
spread one pint of strawberries, slightly crushed, and mixed 
with a generous gill of sugar ; put on the top part of the 
cake, and serve immediately. 

This is the old-fashioned strawberry short cake. Cur- 
rants, blackberries, peaches, etc., may be substituted for 
the strawberries when that fruit is out of season. 



Strawberry Short Cake, No. 2. 

For the Cake. 



% pint of flour. 

I gill of sugar. 

I heaped tablespoonful of butter. 



3 tablespoonfuls of milk. 

I teaspoonful of baking powder. 



Beat the butter to a cream ; then gradually beat in the 
sugar. Now add the unbeaten Qgg, and beat the mixture 
vigorously for three or four minutes. Beat in the milk and 
then the flour, in which the baking powder should be mixed. 
Bake this batter in two well buttered deep tin plates. They 
will require about twenty minutes' time in a moderate oven. 
When baked, put them on plates to cool. 



252 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 



Filling. 



I tablespoonful of gelatine. 
Yz gill of water. 



I pint of stemmed strawberries. 
I Y pints of whipped cream. 
I gill of sugar. 

Measure the gelatine generously and put it in a cup with 
the cold water. Let it soak for an hour or more ; then 
place the Cup in a pan of boiling water and stir until the 
gelatine is dissolved. Have the whipped cream in a bowl 
and set it in a pan of ice water. Stir the sugar and dis- 
solved gelatine into it. Continue stirring this mixture 
until it thickens. Spread half of this cream on one of the 
cakes, and on this spread about two thirds of the straw- 
berries. Put the second cake on top of this. Spread the 
remainder of the cream and strawberries on this, and serve 
at once. 

The gelatine may be omitted. In that case, crush the 
strawberries and sugar together. Put a layer of strawberries 
on the cakes, then a layer of whipped cream. 



Icing. 



I teaspoonful of lemon juice, or 
% teaspoonful of vanilla. 



I egg white. 

y^ pint of powdered sugar. 

I teaspoonful of water. 

Put the unbeaten white of the egg into a bowl, and grad- 
ually beat into it the powdered sugar. When smooth and 
light, add the water and sugar. Spread smoothly on the 
cake and let it stand in a cool place until it hardens. If 
in a hurry to have it harden, omit the water. 

Chocolate Icing. 

Make the white icing. Shave one ounce of plain choco- 
late and put it into a small pan with three tablespoonfuls 
of powdered sugar and one of boiling water. Stir over a 
hot fire until smooth and glossy, and then stir this into the 
icing. If it seems too thick, add a few drops of water. 

Do not use the lemon in the white icing when the choco- 
late is to be added. 



CHAPTER XVII. 

PASTRY. 

Delicate Paste. 



I pint of sifted flour, 
I gill of butter. 
Yz gill of lard. 



I tablespoonful of sugar. 

lYz teaspoonfuls baking powder. 

I teaspoonf ul of salt. 



Mix all the dry ingredients together and rub through a 
sieve into a bowl. Add the butter and lard, and cut and 
mix with a knife until the shortening is in fine bits. Now 
add the cold water, still stirring with a knife. Sprinkle the 
board Hghtly with flour, and turn the paste out upon it. 
Roll down into a square sheet about one fourth of an inch 
thick. Fold up and roll down again. Do this four times ; 
then put away to chill. This paste is suitable for meat and 
fruit pies, baked dumplings, tarts, etc. 

Plain Paste. 



1 pint of sifted flour. 

2 tablespoonfuls of butter. 

3 tablespoonfuls of lard. 

2 teaspoonfuls of baking powder. 



1 teaspoonful of sugar. 

2 teaspoonfuls of salt. 

I generous gill of cold water. 



Make this the same as delicate paste, except that it is to 
be rolled but twice. This paste answers for meat and fruit 
pies when one does not wish to use pastry as rich as the 
delicate paste. 



254 



MISS PARLOAS YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 



Mince Meat. 



2^ pounds of the round of beef. 
2 quarts of chopped apples. 
y^ pint of chopped suet, 
ij^ pints of stoned raisins. 
I pint of currants. 
y pound of citron. 
I quart of sugar. 
Yz pint of molasses. 



3 pints of cider. 

2 tablespoonfuls of salt. 

4 tablespoonfuls of cinnamon. 
I tablespoonful of allspice. 

I tablespoonful of mace. 
I level teaspoonful of clove. 
4 nutmegs, grated. 
4 lemons. 



Put the beef in a small stewpan and just cover with boil- 
ing water. Cook for three hours, having the water only 
bubble at one side of the stewpan. Take from the fire and 
let the meat cool in the water, with the cover off the stew- 
pan. When cold, remove all fat and gristle, and chop the 
meat rather fine. Put it in a large bowl with all the other 
ingredients except the cider, and mix thoroughly. Now 
add the cider, and let the mixture stand in a cold place 
over night. In the morning turn the mince meat into a 
porcelain kettle and heat slowly to the boiling point ; then 
simmer gently for one hour. Put the mixture into stone 
jars and set away in a cold place ; or it may be put in glass 
jars and sealed. It will keep for years in this way. If one 
wish to add brandy or wine, it may be done now or at the 
time that the pies are made. If economy be necessary, half 
the amount of currants and raisins given will answer. On 
the other hand, if one can afford it, when the pies are being 
made, one tumbler of jelly or marmalade to three or four 
pies will be found a great improvement. 



Apple Pie, Sliced. 



3 pints of pared and sliced apples. 



of a nutmeg, grated, or i 
spoonful of cinnamon. 



tea- 



y^ pint of sugar. 

4 tablespoonfuls of cold water. 

Half the rule for delicate paste. 



Pare the apples and cut into thick sHces. Line a large 
plate with paste and then fill with the apples, being careful 



PASTRY. 255 

not to break the paste. Sprinkle with the sagar and nut- 
meg, and then with the water. Roll the remainder of the 
paste a little larger than the pie plate. Make a slight open- 
ing in the centre. Cover the pie with this, tucking the edges 
under the lower crust. Bake in a moderately hot oven for 
one hour. Reduce the heat after the first half- hour. 



Stewed Apple Pie. 



I pint of stewed apple. 
Yz pint of sugar. 



^ of a nutmeg, grated. 

Half the rule for delicate paste. 



Cover with a thin crust a pie plate of medium size. Roll 
a piece of the paste into a narrow strip about one fourth of 
an inch thick, and long enough to go around the edge of 
the plate. Wet the edge of the undercrust with cold water 
and lay the narrow strip of paste over it. Now fill the plate 
with the seasoned apple. Roll the remainder of the paste 
a little larger than the pie plate. Place a larger plate on 
this, upside down, and cut around it. Remove the plate, 
cut a slit in the centre of the paste, and cover the pie, full- 
ing the crust on a little. Bake in a moderately hot oven 
for forty-five minutes. Less sugar may be used, and any 
flavor may be substituted for the nutmeg. It must be re- 
membered, however, that nutmeg, cinnamon, and lemon 
are the best flavors for apple. 

Mince Pies. 

Make mince pies in the same way as directed for stewed 
apple, but bake them for one hour. 

Peach Pie. 

Make this in the same way as sliced apple, but use only 
half as much sugar. 



256 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 



Berry Pies. 



1 y^ pints of blueberries or black- 

berries. 

2 tablespoonfuls of sugar. 



1 tablespoonful of flour. 

2 tablespoonfuls of water. 
Half the rule for delicate paste. 



Make this in the same way as sliced apple pie, and bake 
in a moderate oven for fifty minutes. 

Sour and juicy berries will require more sugar and no 
water. 

Lemon Pie. 



1 tablespoonful of corn starch. 

2 tablespoonfuls powdered sugar. 
y^ saltspoonful of salt. 

I lemon. 



% pint of water. 

yi pint of granulated sugar. 

2 eggs. 

X the rule for delicate paste. 



Mix the corn starch with one third of the water, and put 
the remainder on to boil. Stir the sugar, salt, and corn 
starch into the boiling water, and cook for one minute, stir- 
ring all the time. Take from the fire, and add the juice 
and the grated yellow rind of the lemon. When cool, add 
the yolks of the eggs, well beaten. Line a deep plate with 
the paste and fill with the mixture. * Bake in a moderate 
oven for half an hour. Take from the oven and cool for 
fifteen minutes. 

Beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff dry froth, and then 
beat the powdered sugar into them. Spread this meringue 
over the pie, and place in the oven. Cook for twelve 
minutes with the oven door open ; then put away to get 
icy cold. 

Squash Pie. 



I pint of milk. 

I pint of stewed squash. 

I level tablespoonful of butter. 

I level teaspoonful of salt. 

I gill of sugar. 



^ of a nutmeg, grated. 

2 eggs. 

A piece of stick cinnamon about 

two inches long, or, 
I teaspoonful of ground cinnamon. 



PASTRY. 



257 



Put the milk and cinnamon on the fire in the double- 
boiler, and cook for twenty minutes. Rub the squash 
through a fine strainer, and add the salt, sugar, butter, 
and nutmeg to it. Pour the boiling milk on this mix- 
ture. Remove the cinnamon, and beat well ; then set 
away to cool. When cool, add the eggs, which should 
have been thoroughly beaten with a spoon. Line a deep 
plate with pastry and pour the squash mixture into it. Bake 
for forty-five minutes in a moderate oven. 

Sweet Potato Pie. 

Make these the same as squash pies ; using, however, a 
scant measure of sugar. 

Cream Pie. 



I gill of sugar. 

y^ pint of sifted flour, scant meas- 
ure, 
3 tablespoonfuls of butter. 



4 tablespoonfuls of milk. 

I teaspoonful of baking powder. 
Flavor. 



Make this the same as cup cake and bake in a deep tin 
plate, in a moderate oven, for about twenty minutes. When 
the cake is cool, split it with a sharp knife, and fill with a 
mixture made as follows : — - 



% pint of milk. 

3 tablespoonfuls of sugar. 

I level tablespoonful of flour. 



Filling. 

Yz saltspoonful of salt. 

Flavor. 



Put the milk in the double-boiler and set on the fire. 
Mix the flour and sugar together and add the unbeaten ^gg 
to these ingredients. Beat with a spoon until light ; then 
stir into the boiling -milk and cook for fifteen minutes, stir- 
ring often. Now add the salt, and take from the fire. 
When cool, add the flavor, which may be anything you 

17 



258 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

choose. If orange, lemon, or vanilla extract, use half a 
teaspoonful. Use the same flavor for the cake. 

"Washington Pie. 

Make the cake the same as for cream pie, but bake it in 
two deep tin plates for about twelve minutes. Spread one 
sheet with any kind of jelly or marmalade. Lay the second 
sheet on top of this and dredge with powdered sugar. 

Chocolate Pie. 

Make the same as cream pie, but add to the cream one 
tablespoonful of chocolate dissolved with one tablespoonful 
of sugar in half a tablepoonful of boiling water. Cover the 
cake with a chocolate icing. 



Berry Tart. 



1% pints of berries. 

I gill of sugar. 

I tablespoonful of flour. 



3 tablespoonfuls of water. 
Half the rule for delicate paste. 



Put the berries in an oval vegetable dish that has a broad 
rim. Mix the sugar and flour together and sprinkle over 
the berries. Pour the water over the mixture. Roll the 
paste to the shape of the top of the dish, but a little larger. 
Prick with a fork, and cover the top of the dish, turning in 
the edges. Bake in a moderate oven for about fifty min- 
utes. When cold, sprinkle powdered sugar over the crust, 
and serve. * 

The sugar is for blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, 
raspberries, and cherries. Currants and gooseberries will 
require twice as much sweetening. 

The dish may be fifled with apples or peaches, cut in 
quarters, instead of the berries. In that case use twice as 
much water, and flavor with a little nutmeg. 



PASTRY. 259 

These tarts are much more healthful than pies, the under- 
crust of which is apt to be soggy. 

Apple Turnovers. 



]4. pint of flour. 

I gill of milk. 

r teaspoonf ul of baking powder. 

\% tablespoonfuls of sugar. 



yl teaspoonful of salt. 

I tablespoonful of butter. 

I egg. 

10 tablespoonfuls of apple sauce. 



Mix the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar. Rub this 
mixture through a sieve and then rub into it the butter. 
Now beat the &%% till light, and add to it the milk. Stir 
this liquid into the dry ingredients. Sprinkle the moulding 
board with flour, and roll down the dough to the thickness 
of about one fourth of an inch. Cut this dough into cakes 
the size of a saucer. It is a good way to lay a saucer upside 
down on the dough and cut around it with a jagging- iron or 
knife. 

Put two tablespoonfuls of stewed, sweetened, and seasoned 
apples on each piece of dough ; fold over, and roll up, pinch- 
ing the edges together. Have on the fire a kettle containing 
hot fat about five or six inches deep. When the fat begins 
to smoke, put in a few turnovers and cook for eight minutes. 
Drain on brown paper. They are good hot or cold. 

The apple used in turnovers may be flavored with either 
cinnamon or nutmeg. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



PUDDINGS. 



Steamed Apple Pudding. 



I pint of flour. 
Yt pint of milk, scant. 
I heaping teaspoonful of baking 
powder. 



Yz teaspoonful of salt. 
Yz cupful of sugar. 
Y tablespoonful of butter. 
3 pints of apples. 



Pare and core the apples and cut them into eighths. Mix 
the flour, salt, baking powder, and half a tablespoonful of 
sugar together, and rub through a sieve. Warm a little of 
the milk, and dissolve the butter in it. Add the remainder 
of the milk to this, and pour upon the flour. Stir into a 
smooth ball, and, putting it on a board that has been well 
sprinkled with flour, roll very thin. Line a buttered melon 
mould with it, having the sheet of dough large enough to 





MELON MOULD. 



STEAMER. 



hang over the sides of the mould. Now fill the mould with 
the apples and sprinkle the sugar over them. Bring the 
edges of the paste together and put the cover on the mould. 
Steam for two hours and a half. At serving time turn out 
on a flat dish, and serve with wine or nutmeg sauce. 



PUDDINGS. 261 

This makes rather a large pudding for three people, if 
the first part of the dinner has been substantial. If one 
prefer, half the quantity may be made. 

Quick Steamed Apple Pudding. 



3 pints of pared and quartered 

apples. 
I tablespoonful of butter. 
Yz pint of flour. 
I gill of sugar. 



y^ pint of water. 

I gill of milk. 

X teaspoonful of salt. 

I teaspoonful of baking powder. 

^ of a nutmeg, grated. 



Put the apples, water, sugar, and nutmeg into a broad 
porcelain or granite-ware saucepan, and set on the fire. 
When the apples begin to boil, set back where they will 
cook gently. Now mix the flour, salt, and baking powder 
together and rub through a sieve. Rub the butter into this 
dry mixture and then wet with the milk, stirring rapidly into 
a soft dough. Sprinkle the bread board with flour, and 
roll the dough into a round piece about the size of the top 
of the saucepan. Lay this on the apples ; then put on the 
cover, and continue the gentle cooking for thirty minutes. 
Now lift the crust to a plate for a moment, and turn the 
apple into a pudding dish. Place the crust over it, and 
serve with nutmeg sauce or creamy sauce. 

Baked Apple Dumplings. 



% pint of flour. 

2 tablespoonfuls of butter. 

I tablespoonful of lard. 

J^ teaspoonful of baking powder. 

yz teaspoonful of salt. 



3 tablespoonfuls of sugar. 
% gill of cold water. 
5 apples. 
A little nutmeg. 



Make the paste the same as directed for delicate paste. 
(See Pastry, page 253.) Pare and core the apples. Cut the 
paste in five equal parts, and roll one piece at a time until 
large enough to cover the apple. Place an apple in the 
centre and fill the hole with sugar. Grate a little nutmeg 
over it. Now draw the paste over the fruit, pressing the 



262 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

edges together, and place in a baking pan, the rough side 
down. Bake in a moderately hot oven for half an hour. 
Serve with a hot liquid sauce. 

Steamed Apple Dumplings. 

Make these the same as baked dumplings, using, how- 
ever, only half as much shortening ; and steam for forty- 
five minutes. 

Apple Tapioca Pudding. 



I gill of tapioca. 

i)^ pints of cold water. 

I gill of sugar. 

I tablespoonful of lemon juice. 



^ teaspoonful of salt. 
A heaping quart of pared, cored, 
and quartered apples. 



Wash the tapioca and let it soak over night in the water. 
In the morning put the tapioca and water in the double- 
boiler and cook for one hour. Now stir into the cooked 
tapioca the salt, sugar, lemon, and apples. Pour the mix- 
ture into a pudding dish, and bake in a moderate oven for 
an hour and a quarter. Let it stand in a warm place for 
an hour before it is served. Powdered sugar and cream 
should be served with it. 

Apple and Indian Pudding. 



I gill of molasses. 

I quart of milk. 

I gill of Indian meal. 

I tablespoonful of butter. 



}4 teaspoonful of salt. 

I pint of pared and quartered 

apples. 
J4^ of a nutmeg, grated. 



Have the milk boihng, and pour it gradually upon the 
meal, stirring all the while. Turn into the double-boiler, 
and cook for an hour, stirring often. Now add the mo- 
lasses, butter, salt, and nutmeg, and beat well. Stir in the 
apples, turn into a buttered pudding dish, and cook in a 
slow oven for two hours and a half. The apples may be 
sour or sweet, but sweet are the better. Serve with cream 
or with hard sauce. 



PUDDINGS. 263 

Peach Tapioca Pudding. 

Make this the same as apple tapioca, but use fresh, canned, 
or evaporated peaches. If the last named be used, soak them 
over night in water enough to cover them, and in the morn- 
ing simmer them for ten or twenty minutes. 



Sponge Apple Pudding. 



4 large apples. 
Y2 pint of flour. 
I gill of sugar. 
I gill of milk. 



I egg. 

I teaspoonful of baking powder. 

^ teaspoonful of salt. 



Have the apples pared and sliced. Beat the egg until 
light; then add the sugar, and beat five minutes longer. 
Now add the milk, and finally the flour, with which should 
be mixed the baking powder. Beat the batter, and pour 
it into a well buttered pudding dish that will hold about a 
quart. Cover with the apples, and bake in a moderately 
hot oven for about forty minutes. Serve with a hot liquid 



sauce. 



Prune Pudding. 



2 dozen prunes. 

J^ package of gelatine. 

I quart of water. 



I lemon. 
I gill of sugar- 
Liquid cochineal. 



Soak the gelatine in half a pint of cold water. Wash the 
prunes thoroughly, and put them in a stewpan with a pint 
and a half of water. Cook them slowly for two hours. Take 
the prunes from the liquid, and remove the stones. Measure 
the Uquid, and if there be more than half a pint, boil it rap- 
idly until reduced to that amount. If, however, there be less 
than half a pint, add enough water to make the full measure. 
Return the liquid and prunes to the fire. Color with a few 
drops of cochineal. Add the lemon juice, soaked gelatine, 
and sugar. Stir the mixture until the gelatine is dissolved ; 



264 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

then turn it into a mould, and set away to harden. Serve 
this pudding with either whipped cream or soft custard. 

If the flavor of wine be liked, the water in which the 
prunes were cooked may be reduced to a gill, and a gill of 
wine be added to the mixture. 

Prune Tapioca Pudding. 



% cupful of tapioca. 
3 cupf uls of cold water. 



% teaspoonful of salt. 

I tablespoonful of lemon juice. 



I cupful of prunes. ^ cupful of sugar. 

Wash the tapioca and soak it over night in the three cup- 
fuls of cold water. In the morning put the tapioca and 
water in the double-boiler and cook for one hour. Before 
putting the tapioca on to cook, wash the prunes, and, put- 
ting them in a saucepan with cold water enough to cover 
them, place on the fire. Let them simmer gently until they 
absorb all the water ; then turn out on a plate to cool, and 
remove the stones. 

When the tapioca has been cooking for an hour, stir all 
the seasonings into it. Spread a layer of the tapioca in a 
small pudding dish ; then sprinkle with prunes, next with 
another layer of tapioca, and finally with the remainder of 
the prunes. Cover with the tapioca and bake in a moderate 
oven for one hour. Take the pudding from the oven and 
let it partially cool ; then serve with sugar and cream, or 
with soft custard. 

Raspberry Tapioca Pudding. 



yi gill of flaked tapioca. 
lYz gills of water. 
Yz gill of sugar. 



I pint of raspberries. 

Yi tablespoonful of lemon juice. 

Y teaspoonful of salt. 



After measuring the tapioca, turn it out on the moulding 
board and crush it as fine as possible with the rolling pin. 
Now wash it, and soak it in the cold water for three hours 
or longer, — better over night, if there be time. Put the 



PUDDINGS. . 265 

soaked tapioca in a double-boiler and cook it until it is 
perfectly clear. If it has been soaked over night it will 
cook in half an hour, but if soaked for only three hours it 
will require cooking for an hour and a half. When the 
tapioca is clear, add the sugar, salt, and lemon ; then take 
the dish from the fire and stir in the raspberries. Rinse a 
bowl with cold water and pour the pudding into it. Set 
away to cool. At serving time turn out the pudding on a 
flat dish and surround it with whipped cream ; or it may 
be served with plain cream. 

Little Fruit Puddings. 



^ pint of unsifted flour. 
I gill of sweet milk. 
I tablespoonful of sugar, 
I tablespoonful of butter. 



I teaspoonful of baking powder. 
y^ teaspoonful of salt. 
18 tablespoonfuls of stewed and 
sweetened fruit. 



Put the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder together. 
Mix well, and rub through the sieve. Rub the butter into 
these ingredients. Pour the milk on this mixture, and beat 
well. Have six little earthen cups well buttered. Put a 
tablespoonful of the batter in each cup, and draw it to the 
sides of the cups, making a well in the batter. Put three 
tablespoonfuls of stewed and sweetened fruit in these wells, 
and cover with half a tablespoonful of the batter. Bake 
the puddings in a moderately hot oven for half an hour. 
Turn out on a warm dish and serve with a hot sauce. 

Blueberry Pudding. 



j^ of a nutmeg. 

y^ teaspoonful of soda. 

I tablespoonful of sour milk. 

I teaspoonful of cold water. 



2 tablespoonfuls of butter. 

yi cupful of sugar. 

^ cupful of flour. 

I ^ cupf uls of blueberries. 

I egg. 

Beat the butter to a cream, and add the sugar gradually, 
beating well. Now add the egg, well beaten, and beat 
vigorously for three minutes. Grate in the nutmeg. Dis- 



266 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER.. 

solve the soda in the teaspoonful of cold water ; add the 
sour milk to this, and stir all into the butter and sugar 
mixture. Now stir in the flour, and lastly add the berries, 
stirring lightly. Turn into a well buttered mould and steam 
for two hours. Serve with a hot sauce. Foaming sauce is 
particularly good with this pudding. 

Blueberry Pudding, No. 2. 



Yz a five-cent loaf of baker's bread. 

3 gills of milk. 

2 eggs. 

I pint of blueberries. 



2 tablespoonf uls of butter. 

3 tablespoonf uls of sugar. 
^^ teaspoonful of salt. 

X of a nutmeg, grated. 



Cut the bread in thin, slices and spread the butter on it. 
Line a pudding dish with the bread, and sprinkle thickly with 
berries. Put in another layer of bregd, then the remainder 
of the berries, and finish with bread. Beat the eggs, sugar, 
salt, and nutmeg together, and add the milk to them. Pour 
this custard over the bread and berries and put away in a 
cool place for two or three hours. Steam for one hour and 
a quarter, and serve with hot sauce. 

The pudding may be covered with a plate and baked in 
a slow oven for forty- five minutes, if it be inconvenient to 
steam it. 

Berry Pudding. 



Yz pint of flour, generous measure. 

I gill of milk. 

I gill of sugar. 

3 gills blueberries or blackberries. 



I tablespoonful of butter. 

I heaping teaspoonful of baking 

powder. 
I egg. 



Beat the butter and sugar together. Add the ^gg, well 
beaten, then the milk, and finally the flour and baking 
powder, mixed together. Beat well, and then stir the 
berries in lightly. Turn into a buttered pudding dish, and 
bake in a moderately hot oven for forty-five minutes. Serve 
with a hot sauce. 



PUDDINGS. 267 

This pudding may be steamed. It will require two hours' 
time for that mode of cooking. 

Blackberry Pudding. 

Make this in the same manner as the first blueberry pud- 
ding, substituting blackberries for the blueberries. 

Steamed Black Pudding. 



I pint of blueberries or black- 
berries. 
I quart of stale bread. 
I gill of sugar. 



}4 pint of water. 

ys oi a, nutmeg, grated. 

2 tablespoonfuls of butter. 



Cut the bread in thin slices and butter them. Simmer 
the berries, sugar, water, and nutmeg together for ten 
minutes. Butter a mould or a large bowl and spread a 
layer of the buttered bread in it. Cover this with berries 
and juice; then put in another layer of bread. Continue 
this until all the materials are used, having the last layer 
one of fruit. Let the pudding stand for two hours, and 
then steam for one hour and half. At the end of that time 
turn into a pudding dish and serve with a hot sauce. 

Baker's bread is the best for this dish. 

Rhubarb Pudding. 



}4 a five-cent loaf of baker's bread. 
}4 pint of rhubarb, generous 
measure. 



1)4 gills of sugar. 

3 tablespoonfuls of butter. 



Have the butter soft. Cut the bread in thin slices, and 
spread the butter on it ; then dip it in cold water. Have 
the rhubarb peeled and cut in thin slices before measuring. 
Put a layer of bread in a pudding dish, then a layer of 
rhubarb. Sprinkle half the sugar over this ; then put in 
another layer of bread, rhubarb, and sugar. Finish with a 
layer of bread. Cover the dish and steam for one hour; 



268 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

then take the dish from the steamer, remove the cover, and 
bake the pudding until it turns a deHcate brown, — about 
twenty minutes. Serve with a hot sauce. 

Jam Pudding. 

Use the same materials as are given in the first rule for 
blueberry pudding ; omitting, of course, the berries, and stir- 
rmg into the butter, sugar, and egg mixture one gill of any 
kind of jam. 



Steamed Batter Pudding. 



J^ pint of milk. 
I gill of flour. 



2 eggs. 

}^ teaspoonful of salt. 



Have a covered mould well buttered. Beat the eggs till 
light, and add the milk and salt to them. Pour half this 
mixture on the flour, and beat well. When the batter is 
smooth, beat in the remainder of the liquid mixture and 
pour the batter into the mould. Cover closely and steam 
for one hour. Serve with a hot sauce. This pudding 
should be turned out of the mould very carefully, and 
served on a hot dish. 



Quiver Pudding. 



3 gills of stale bread. 

3 gills of milk. 

2 eggs. 

I gill of stoned raisins. 



I tablespoonful of sugar. 

^ teaspoonful of salt. 

A slight grating of nutmeg. 



Beat together the eggs, sugar, salt, and nutmeg. Use a 
spoon and beat very thoroughly. Butter a quart mould. 
Cut the bread in thin slices and put a layer in the mould. 
Sprinkle some of the raisins over this, then put in another 
layer of bread. Continue until all the bread and fruit have 
been used. Pour the custard on this, one spoonful at a 
time. Cover, and stand in a cool place for three or four 



PUDDINGS. 



269 



hours. Steam for one hour, and turn out on a warm dish. 
Serve with either vanilla, creamy, or golden sauce. 

Plum Pudding. 



3 gills of boiling milk. 

Yz pint of fine cracker crumbs. 

2 tablespoonfuls of butter. 

2 tablespoonfuls of sugar. 

I gill of stoned raisins. 

I gill of currants. 



I tablespoonf ul of shredded citron. 



]^ teaspoonful of salt. 



% teaspoonful of grated nutmeg. 
y^ teaspoonful of cinnamon. 
2 eggs. 



Pour the milk on the cracker crumbs and spice. Add 
the butter, and set away to cool. Beat together the yolks 
of the eggs and the sugar. Add this and the fruit to the 
cooled mixture. Beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth 
and stir them into the pudding. Turn the batter into a 
well buttered mould ; then cover closely and steam for five 
hours. Serve with a hot sauce. 

This rule may be doubled, making two small puddings, 
one of which can be kept in a cool place for a couple of 
weeks. Steam it at least an hour when it is warmed up. 



Chester Pudding. 



I gill of molasses. 

I gill of milk. 

I gill of beef suet, chopped fine. 

3 gills of flour, 

I gill of raisins. 



% teaspoonful of soda. 

I teaspoonful of cinnamon. 

y^ teaspoonful of mace. 

y^ teaspoonful of salt. 

Juice and grated rind of a lemon. 



Put into a large bowl the suet, molasses, spice, lemon, 
and raisins, and beat together for one minute. Dissolve 
the soda in the milk, and add the milk to the ingredients 
in the bowl. Beat well, and then add the flour. Beat for 
three minutes, and turn into a buttered pudding dish. 
Steam for five hours, and serve hot with wine sauce or any 
rich sauce. 



270 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 



"Wayne Pudding. 



% pint of flour. 
I gill of molasses. 

1 gill of milk. 

2 tablespoonfuls of butter. 
y^ teaspoonf ul of salt. 

y^ teaspoonful of soda. 



X of a nutmeg, grated. 
I teaspoonful of cinnamon. 
I gill of stoned raisins. 
I gill of stoned currants. 
I egg. 



Beat the butter to a cream, and beat into it the molasses, 
spice, and salt. Dissolve the soda in the milk. Beat the 
egg till light, and beat it into the butter and molasses. 
Now add the milk and soda. Add the flour next, and 
finally the fruit, beating the mixture well. Turn into a but- 
tered mould and steam for three hours. Serve with a hot 
liquid sauce. 

Turkish Pudding. 

This is made the same as Wayne pudding, substituting 
prunes, dates, and figs for the currants and raisins. These 
fruits must be washed, and cut into small pieces. Use half 
a pint of the mixed fruit. 

Graham Pudding. 



3 gills of graham. 
I gill of sweet milk. 
I gill of stoned and chopped rai- 
sins. 



% gill of molasses. 
y^ teaspoonful of soda. 
% teaspoonful of salt. 



Sift the graham into a bowl. Dissolve the soda in one 
tablespoonful of the milk. Add to this the remainder of 
the milk, and the molasses and salt. Stir well, and pour 
upon the graham. Beat the butter vigorously for five min- 
utes ; then stir in the raisins. Turn the mixture into a 
buttered mould, which should then be covered and placed 
in the steamer. Cook for four hours. Serve with golden 
or creamy sauce. 



PUDDINGS. 



271 



Steamed Indian Pudding. 



I cupful of granulated corn meal. 
y^ cupful of sour milk. 
^ cupful of chopped suet. 



y^ cupful of molasses- 

I teaspoonful of salt. 

I level teaspoonful of soda. 



Mix the suet, molasses, and salt together. Dissolve the 
soda in a tablespoonful of cold water. Add to the sour 
milk, and stir into the other ingredients. Now add the 
meal, and beat well. Pour the batter into a well buttered 
mould, and steam for four hours. Serve with molasses 
sauce. 

Steamed Indian Berry Pudding. 

When blueberries and blackberries are in season add half 
a pint of either kind of berries to the batter for steamed 
Indian pudding, and steam and serve as directed above. 

Steamed Indian and Apple Pudding. 

Make the batter as directed for steamed Indian pudding, 
and add to it a cupful and a half of pared and sliced apples. 
Steam and serve the same as the plain Indian pudding. 



Baked Indian Pudding. 



3 pints of milk. 

2 tablespoonfuls of corn meal. 

I gill of molasses. 



I tablespoonful of butter. 
^ teaspoonful of salt. 



Boil one pint of the milk, and pour gradually upon the 
meal, stirring all the time. Turn the mixture into the 
double-boiler and cook for half an hour, stirring frequently. 
At the end of that time take from the fire and add the 
molasses, butter, salt, and the quart of cold milk. Add the 
milk gradually, beating well. Pour the mixture into an 
earthen pudding dish that will just hold it, and bake in a 
very slow oven for four hours. When it has been cooking 



2f2 MISS PARLOA S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

for one hour, set the dish in a pan of hot water and cover 
with an earthen plate. This would not be essential in a 
large pudding, but a small one dries up in the long cooking 
unless these precautions be taken. The pudding will be 
spoiled if the oven be hot enough to make it bubble. 

Mock Indian Pudding. 



1 pint of milk. 

2 tablespoonfuls of rice. 
I gill of molasses. 



I tablespoonf ul of butter. 
Yz teaspoonful of cinnamon. 
]i teaspoonful of salt. 



« 



Wash the rice and mix it with the other ingredients ; 
using, however, only half the butter. Turn into an earthen 
dish and bake slowly for two hours. At the end of the first 
hour add the second half tablespoonful of butter, and stir 
well. Serve with cream. 



Bread Pudding. 



Yz pint of stale bread. 

I pint of milk. 

I tablespoonful of sugar. 



%. teaspoonful of salt. 
I egg. 



Break the bread into small bits and measure it lightly. 
Let it soak in the milk, in a cool place, for two or three 
hours ; then mash it with a spoon. Beat the sugar, salt, 
and egg together, and stir into the bread and milk. Pour 
into a small pudding dish and place the dish in a larger tin 
dish in which there is warm water enough to come within 
one inch of the top of the pudding dish. Place in a moder- 
ate oven and bake for about thirty-five mmutes. Serve with 
vanilla or creamy sauce. 

Cake Pudding. 

Put any kind of stale cake on a plate and in the steamer, 
and steam for half an hour. Serve with a hot liquid sauce. 



PUDDINGS. 



273 



Sponge Pudding. 



I egg- 

I gill of sugar. 

I generous gill of flour. 

3 tablespoonfuls of water. 



I heaped teaspoonful of baking 

powder. 
^ teaspoonful of salt. 
I tablespoonful of lemon juice. 



Beat the egg till light ; add the sugar, and beat for five 
minutes ; then add the water, salt, and flavor, and finally 
the flour, with which the baking powder should be mixed. 
Turn into a well buttered pudding dish and bake in a mod- 
erate oven for about twenty-five minutes. 

Serve with a hot liquid sauce. 

The lemon juice may be omitted. 



Cottage Pudding. 



}4 pint of sifted flour. 

I gill of milk. 

I gill of sugar. 

I tablespoonful of butter. 



^ teaspoonful of salt. 

I heaped teaspoonful of baking 

powder. 
I egg. 



Beat the butter to a cream ; then beat the sugar into it. 
Next add the unbeaten egg and beat vigorously for three or 
four minutes. Add the salt and milk, and then the flour, 
with which should be mixed the baking powder. Beat for 
a few seconds, and, turning the batter into a small, wefl 
buttered pudding dish, bake for about twenty- five minutes 
in a moderate oven. Serve with a hot liquid sauce. 

The measure of flour is for pastry flour. 

If the new-process flour be used, measure a very scant 
half-pint. 

Lemon Pudding. 



2 rounded tablespoonfuls of gran- 

ulated sugar. 
I tablespoonful of powdered sugar. 

3 rounded teaspoonfuls of corn 

starch. 
I saltspoonful of salt. 



1 tablespoonful of butter. 

2 tablespoonfuls of milk. 
I gill of water. 

The j uice and grated rind of half 

a lemon. 
I egg. 



\ 



2/4 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Mix the corn starch with three tablespoonfuls of water. 
Put the remainder of the water in a saucepan and set on to 
boil. Stir the mixed corn starch into this and for 

five minutes. Take from the fire and add th x and 
the lemon ; reserving half a teaspoonful, however. Beat 
the butter to a cream, and gradually beat into it the 
granulated sugar, then the yolk of the egg, and finally the 
milk. Stir this mixture into the cooked ingredients, and, 
pouring all into a pudding dish that will hold about a 
pint, bake in a moderate oven for twenty minutes. Let 
it cool for ten minutes. 

Beat the white of the egg to a stiff dry froth, and beat 
into it the tablespoonful of powdered sugar, and the re- 
served half teaspoonful of lemon juice. Spread this 
meringue on the pudding and bake for fifteen minutes 
with the oven door open. Serve this pudding very cold. 

Cream Pudding. 



1 pint of milk. 

2 tablespoonfuls of flour. 

3 tablespoonfuls of fruit juice, or 

I tablespoonful of wine. 



y^ teaspoonful of salt. 

1 gill of granulated sugar. 

2 eggs. 



Reserve half a gill of milk and put the remainder on the 
fire, in the double-boiler. Mix the flour and salt to a 

smooth paste, with the 
cold milk. Add to this 
mixture the eggs, well 
beaten, and stir into the 
boiling milk. Cook for 
eight minutes, stirring 
three times. Turn the hot 
mixture into the pudding 

over it. Wet the sugar with the wine or fruit juice, and 
set away to cool. The sugar and fruit juice make the sauce. 




PUDDINGS- 275 

Chocolate Pudding. 



1 pint n. - alk. 

2 tablespoonf uls of corn starch. 

I tablespoonful of boiling water. 

3 tablespoonfuls of sugar. 



y^ teasponnful of salt. 

]/^ teaspoonful of vanilla. 

I ounce of shaved chocolate (one 
of the squares in a half- 
pound cake of chocolate). 



Reserve half a gill of milk and put the remainder on the 
fire, in the double-boiler. Mix the cold milk with the corn 
starch and salt. Beat the egg well and add to the corn 
starch mixture. Stir this into the boiling milk, and beat 
well. Put the shaved chocolate, sugar, and boiling water 
in a small frying-pan and set over a hot fire. Stir until the 
mixture is smooth and glossy ; then beat this into the pud- 
ding, and cook for two minutes longer. Take from the fire 
and add the vanilla. Dip a mould in cold water and turn 
the pudding into it. Set away to cool. At serving time turn 
out on a flat dish and surround with whipped cream ; or 
serve with plain cream and sugar. A soft custard, flavored 
with vanilla, makes a good sauce for this pudding. 

Chocolate Pudding, No. 2. 



I pint of milk. 

I tablespoonful of corn starch. 

I gill of granulated sugar. 

1 ounce of chocolate. 

2 eggs. 



2 tablespoonfuls of powdered 

sugar. 
I tablespoonful of boiling water. 
I teaspoonful of vanilla. 
"%. teaspoonful of salt. 



Reserve one gill of the milk and put the remainder on 
the fire, in the double-boiler. Beat the yolks of the eggs 
well, and add to them the sugar and salt. Mix the milk with 
the corn starch and add this to the sugar and yolks of eggs. 
Shave the chocolate and put it in a pan with two table- 
spoonfuls of sugar and one of boiling water. Stir over a hot 
fire until smooth and glossy, and stir this mixture into the 
hot milk. Now add the corn starch mixture and stir well. 



276 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Cook for eight minutes, stirring often. Add half the 
vanilla, and turn into a pudding dish. Let it stand in a 
cool place for ten minutes. 

Beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff dry froth, and then 
gradually beat into them the powdered sugar and the re- 
mainder of the vanilla. Cover the pudding with this 
meringue and place in the oven. Cook for twelve minutes 
with the oven door open. Serve cold. 

Cararael Pudding. 



% pint of brown sugar. 

y^ pint of water, 

^ of a box of gelatine. 



4 egg whites. 

Yz teaspoonful of vanilla. 



Soak the gelatine in one gill of cold water for two hours. 
Put the sugar and the other gill of water in a small sauce- 
pan and set on the fire. Boil until the mixture becomes 
a thick syrup. Now add the gelatine and vanilla, and heat 
again to boiling point. 

Beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff, dry froth. Pour 
the hot syrup slowly on the eggs, beating briskly all the 
time. Turn the mixture into a mould, and set away to 
cool. When firm, turn out on a flat dish, and serve with 
a custard sauce. 



Custard Sauce, 



3 gills of milk. 

4 egg yolks. 

3 tablespoonf uls of sugar. 



y^ teaspoonful of salt. 
Yz teaspoonful of vanilla. 



Make this sauce as directed for soft custard. (See 
Sweets, page 289.) Serve it cold. 

Corn Starch Pudding. 



2 heaped tablespoonfuls of corn 
starch. 



I pint of milk. 

Yz teaspoonful of salt. 



PUDDINGS. 277 

Reserve one gill of milk and put the remainder on the 
fire, in the double-boiler. Mix the milk with the corn starch 
and salt, and stir into the milk when it boils. Beat well, 
and cook for ten minutes, stirring often ; then turn into 
a pudding dish, and let it stand for ten minutes. Serve 
with sugar and cream, or with an egg or fruit sauce. 



Custard Pudding. 



I Yz pints of milk. 

3 eggs. 

yi teaspoonf ul of salt. 



3 tablespoonfuls of sugar. 
^ of a nutmeg, grated. 



Break the eggs into a bowl and add the sugar and salt. 
Beat well with a spoon, — never with an egg beater, as 
they must not be light. Add the milk to them and turn 
into a small pudding dish. Place the dish in a pan of 
warm water and set in a very moderate oven. Bake the 
pudding until firm in the centre. It should take not less 
than half an hour ; better longer, as the slower the custard 
cooks the smoother and richer it will be. The oven must 
not be hot enough to have the water boil. Test the cus- 
tard by running a knife down the centre. If it comes out 
clean the custard is done ; but if a milky substance clings to 
it, cook the pudding a little longer. The flavor may be cin- 
namoii^ lemon, or anything else one chooses. 

Cocoanut Pudding. 



Yt pint of milk. 
% pint of stale sponge cake. 
I gill of grated cocoanut. 
I gill of sugar. 



j4^ teaspoonf ul of salt. 
2 eggs. 

Grated yellow rind of half a 
lemon. 



Soak the cake in the milk for one hour. Beat the whites 
of the eggs to a stiff froth, and beat into them the sugar 
and yolks of eggs. Stir this mixture into the cake and 
milk. Add the salt, lemon rind, and cocoanut. Turn the 



278 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

mixture into a buttered pudding dish, and bake slowly for 
about thirty-five minutes. Serve cold. 

Tapioca Pudding. 

I gill of flake or pearl tapioca. 

i^ pints of milk. 

^2 teaspoonful of salt. 

Wash the tapioca and let it soak over night in one pint 
of cold water. In the morning pour off the water and add 
the milk. Cook for one hour in the double-boiler. Stir 
in the salt, and cook for half an hour longer. Serve with 
sugar and cream, or with preserved fruit. 

The hot pudding may be turned into a mould which has 
been dipped in cold water. Let it stand in a cool place 
for several hours ; then turn out on a flat dish, and pour 
preserved fruit around it. 



Oatmeal Pudding. 



I gill of oatmeal. 
y^ gill of raisins. 



3 gills of water. 

Yz teaspoonful of salt. 



Put the water and raisins in a stewpan ; cover, and sim- 
mer for half an hour. At the end of that time stir in the 
salt and oatmeal. Boil rapidly for one minute ; then set 
the stewpan back where the contents will only simmer for 
one hour. Rinse a mould or bowl in cold water and turn 
the pudding into it. Set away to cool. Serve with sugar 
and cream. 

Boiled Rice Pudding. 

I gill of rice. 

I pint of milk. 

Yz teaspoonful of salt. 

Wash the rice in three waters, rubbing it well between 
the hands. Put it on the fire in one pint of cold water, 
and let it cook for ten minutes. Drain off the water and 



PUDDINGS. 279 

add the salt and milk ; then cook in the double-boiler for 
two hours. Do not stir it while it is cooking. Serve hot 
with sugar and cream. 

If raisins be liked mix a gill of them with the rice when 
the milk is added. 

Rice Balls. 

Cook the rice the same as for boiled rice pudding. Wet 
small custard cups or after-dinner coffee cups in cold water 
and fill them with the hot pudding. Let them stand where 
they will keep warm until serving time ; then turn them out 
on a flat dish and put a bit of bright jelly on top of each 
ball. Serve with soft custard. 

The rice ball must be hot and the custard cold. 

Cold Rice Pudding. 



3 tablespoonf uls of rice. 
3 tablespoonfuls of sugar. 
I level tablespoonf ul of corn 
starch. 



Yz teaspoonfnl salt. 
lYz pints of milk. 
Flavor to taste. 



Wash the rice and soak it in cold water for an hour. 
Pour off this water and put the rice on the fire in a pint 
of cold water. When this boils, drain off the water and add 
a pint of milk. Cook in the double-boiler for an hour. 
Mix the corn starch with a gill of cold milk and add to 
the rice mixture. Let this cook ten minutes longer ; then 
add the sugar, salt, the remainder of the cold milk, and the 
flavor, which may be the grated yellow rind of an orange 
or lemon, a slight grating of nutmeg, or a teaspoonful of 
vanilla or lemon extract. If cinnamon be liked, a piece 
about four inches long may be cooked with the rice and 
milk, and be removed when the sugar and salt are added. 
Stir the mixture well, and turn into a pudding dish. Bake 
in a moderate oven for half an hour, and put away to cool. 
This pudding does not require a sauce. 



28o MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 



English Rice Pudding. 



I gill of chopped suet. 
I gill of stoned raisins. 
I heaped gill of rice. 



I level teaspoonful of salt. 
I gill of sugar. : 

I quart of milk. 



Wash the rice, and mix it with the suet, sugar, raisins, 
and salt. Add one pint of the milk ; then place in a very 
moderate oven and cook for half an hour. At the end of 
that time stir in the second pint of milk, and continue cook- 
ing slowly for two hours. Serve hot. 



Baked Rice Pudding. 



I gill of rice. 
I quart of milk. 
I gill of raisins. 



% teaspoonful of salt, 
3 tablespoonfuls of sugar. 
I tablespoonful of cinnamon. 



Wash the rice and put it in a pudding dish with the sugar, 
salt, cinnamon, raisins, and a pint of the milk. Bake in a 
slow oven for one hour, stirring it twice in that time. Add 
the second pint of milk and cook an hour and a half longer. 
Serve hot. This pudding does not require a sauce. 

Hot Farina Pudding. 

I pint of milk. 

3 level tablespoonfuls of farina. 

Yi teaspoonful of salt. 

Put the milk in the double-boiler. Measure the farina 
into a cup. When the milk boils, add the salt, and, with a 
tablespoon, stir the milk rapidly. When it is well in motion 
begin to sprinkle in the farina, stirring all the while. Beat 
the mixture well, and cook for thirty minutes. Serve with 
sugar and cream. 

Cold Farina Pudding. 



1 pint of milk. 

2 level tablespoonfuls of farina. 
y^ teaspoonful of salt. 



I tablespoonful of sugar. 
yi teaspoonful of vanilla. 



PUDDINGS. 281 

Put the milk in the double- boiler and set on the fire. 
When it boils, stir rapidly until all parts are in motion. 
Continue the stirring, and sprinkle in the farina. Now add 
the salt, and cook for forty minutes ; then beat in the sugar 
and flavor. Dip a mould in cold water and turn the hot 
mixture into it. Set away to cool. Serve with sugar and 
cream, or any kind of preserved fruit. 

Farina Fruit Pudding. 

Make the pudding the same as for cold farina, omitting 
the sugar and flavor. When it is cooked, add to it one 
gill of preserved jelly or marmalade. Turn into the mould 
and set away to cool. Serve with plain or whipped cream 
and sugar, or with soft custard. 

Rose Pudding. 



% package of pink gelatine, gen- 
erous measure. 
I gill of sherry. 
I gill of boiling water. 



I gill of cold water, scant. 
I gill of sugar. 
I lemon. 



Soak the gelatine in the cold water for two hours ; 
then pour the boiling water on it, keeping it in the same 
bowl in which it has been soaked. Add the sugar, and 
stir until the sugar and gelatine are dissolved. Now put 
in the wine and lemon juice. Strain the liquid into a large 
bowl and let it stand until cold ; then place the bowl in a 
pan and surround it with water and ice. As soon as the 
liquid begins to thicken, beat it with a beater or a whisk 
until it is light and spongy. It will then be of a rose-pink 
color. Rinse a mould in cold water and pour the pudding 
into it. Set in a cold place for an hour or more. At 
serving time dip the mould in tepid water, to loosen the 
pudding. Wipe the outside of the mould and see to it that 
the pudding comes away from the sides. Turn out on a 
flat dish and serve with a custard sauce in a separate dish ; 



282 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

or, this pudding may be served with whipped cream heaped 
around it ; in which case the custard is, of course, omitted. 
Uncolored gelatine may be used, if more convenient, 
and the pudding be colored with Hquid cochineal. 

Snow Pudding. 



X box of gelatine. 

}i gill of cold water. 

}4 pint (scant) of boiling water. 



Juice of one lemon, 
j4 pint of sugar. 
Whites of two eggs. 



Soak the gelatine in the cold water for two hours. Pour 
upon this the boiling water, and stir until the gelatine 
is dissolved ; then add the sugar and lemon juice, stirring 
until the sugar is dissolved. Set the bowl in a pan of cold 
water to cool ; ice water is the best. Stir frequently ; and 
when it begins to congeal, add the unbeaten whites of the 
eggs, and beat constantly until the mixture becomes a thick, 
white sponge that will just pour. Immediately pour it into 
a mould that has been dipped in cold water, and set away 
to become firm. 

At serving time dip the mould in tepid water and turn 
the pudding out on a flat dish. Pour the sauce around 
it, or serve in a separate dish. Make the sauce by the rule 
for custard sauce for snow blancmange. 

Snow Pudding, No. 2. 



}^ pint of boiling water. 

)4 gill of cold water. 

2 tablespoonfuls of corn starch. 



2 tablespoonfuls of sugar. 

2 tablespoonfuls of lemon juice. 

Whites of two eggs. 



Put the sugar, lemon juice, and boiling water in a small 
saucepan, — not tin, — and set on the fire. Mix the cold 
water with the corn starch and stir into the boiling liquid. 
Put the saucepan in another pan of boiling water, and, after 
covering, cook the mixture for ten minutes. Beat the 
whites of the eggs to a stiff, dry froth, and stir them into 



PUDDINGS. 283 

the cooked corn starch. Wet a mould in cold water and 
turn the mixture into it. Set away to cool. Serve with a 
custard sauce made the same as for snow blancmange. 



Orange Snow Pudding. 



X box of gelatine. 
^ gill of cold water. 
I gill of boiling water. 



lyi gills of orange juice. 
Whites of two eggs. 

C 



Make this pudding the same as snow pudding No. i, 
and serve with the same kind of sauce. 



Snow Blancmange. 



1 pint of milk. 

2 rounded tablespoonfuls of corn 

starch. 
2 tablespoonfuls of sugar. 



y^ teaspoonful of salt. 
Whites of two eggs. 
% teaspoonful of vanilla, or % tea- 
spoonful of almond- 



Reserve one gill of the milk, and, putting the remainder 
in the double-boiler, set it on the fire. Mix the cold milk 
with the corn-starch. When the milk boils, stir in the corn 
starch and cold milk. Add the sugar and salt, and beat 
well. Replace the cover of the boiler and cook the pud- 
ding for ten minutes. 

Beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff dry froth. Add the 
flavor and the whites of the eggs to the pudding, stirring 
gently, but mixing well. Dip a mould in cold water and 
turn the pudding into it. Set away to cool. Serve with 
custard sauce or with sugar and cream. 



Custard Sauce. 



I pint of milk. 

I whole egg and two yolks. 

3 tablespoonfuls of sugar. 



^2 saltspoonful of salt. 
Flavor the same as used for 
pudding. 



Beat the eggs, sugar, and salt together. Add the milk, 
and, putting the sauce in the double-boiler, set it on the 



284 MISS parloa's young housekeeper, 

fire. Stir all the time until the custard thickens. It will 
take about five minutes if the water in the lower boiler was 
boiling when the upper boiler with its contents was put on 
the fire. Cool, and add the flavor. 

PUDDING SAUCES. 
Wine Sauce. 



1 gill of powdered sugar. 

2 tablespoonfuls of butter. 



3 tablespoonfuls of wine. 
3 tablespoonfuls of hot milk. 



Beat the butter to a cream and gradually beat into it the 
powdered sugar. When this mixture becomes light and 
frothy, beat in the wine, a tablespoonful at a time. When 
all the wine has been beaten in, place the bowl in a pan of 
boilinr water. Add the hot milk slowly, beating all the 
time, take the bowl from the hot water immediately, and 
the sauce will be ready to use. 



Foaming Sauce. 



2 tablespoonfuls of butter. 
I gill of powdered sugar. 



V/hite of one egg. 

3 tablespoonfuls of sherry. 



Beat the butter to a cream. Gradually beat into it the 
powdered sugar. Now add the well beaten white of the 
egg, and beat for two minutes longer. Add the wine, a 
spoonful at a time, and continue beating until the mixture 
is perfectly smooth. Place the bowl in a pan of boiling 
water and stir for three minutes. Serve in a hot bowl. 

Creamy Sauce. 



1 gill of powdered sugar. 

2 heaped tablespoonfuls of butter. 



2 tablespoonfuls of wine. 
2 tablespoonfuls of milk. 



Beat the butter to a cream, and gradually beat in the 
powdered sugar. Now beat in the wine, a little at a time. 



BUDDINGS. 



285 



Next add the milk, half a spoonful at a time, beating until 
perfectly smooth. Place the bowl in a pan of boiling water, 
and stir the sauce for about two minutes. 

Half a teaspoonful of vanilla may be substituted for the 
wine. 

Fruit Sauce. 

I gill of jelly or preserves. 
White of one egg. 

Beat the white of the egg to a stiff dry froth, and gradually 
beat into it the jelly or fruit. 



Egg Sauce. 



1 gill of powdered sugar. 

2 tablespoonfuls of milk. 



^2 a teaspoonful of vanilla, lemon, 
or orange extract. 



Beat the white of the egg to a stiff dry froth, and gradually 
beat into it the powdered sugar. Now add the yolk of the 
egg, the flavor, and the milk. Serve at once. 

Vinegar Sauce. 



I cupful of sugar, 
I level tablespoonful of flour, 
I cupful of boiling water. 
I tablespoonful of butter. 



% teaspoonful of salt. 

2 tablespoonfuls of vinegar. 

X nutmeg, grated. 



Mix the flour and sugar together, and pour the boiling 
water upon the mixture. Add the salt, butter, nutmeg, and 
vinegar, and simmer for ten minutes. 



Molasses Sauce. 



I gill of molasses. 

I gill of sugar. 

I gill of water. 

I teaspoonful of flour. 



I tablespoonful of butter. 
^ teaspoonful of salt. 
I tablespoonful of lemon juice, or 
j4 tablespoonful of vinegar. 



286 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

Mix the flour and sugar together. Pour the boiHng water 
upon it. Add the molasses, and place on the range. Sim- 
mer for ten minutes ; then add the other ingredients, boil 
up once and serve. 

Clear Sauce. 

I gill of water. 
I gill of sugar. 
Flavor. 

Put the water and sugar in a small saucepan and set on 
the fire. Simmer for twelve minutes, and add any flavor 
you wish. If wine, three tablespoonfuls. 

Clear Lemon Sauce. 

Put into a saucepan one gill of sugar, a gill and a half of 
water, a thin slice of the yellow rind of lemon, and a slight 
grating of nutmeg. Cook gently for ten minutes ; then add 
two tablespoonfuls of lemon juice, and serve. 

Cinnamon Sauce. 



I level tablespoonful of flour. 
% tablespoonful of butter. 
Yz teaspoonful of salt. 
yz cupful of sugar. 



I cupful of boiling water. 
A piece of stick cinnamon about 
three inches long. 



Mix the sugar and flour together and pour the boiling 
water upon the mixture, stirring all the while. Add the 
cinnamon, and place the saucepan on the fire. Simmer 
for ten minutes ; then add the other ingredients and cook 
for two minutes longer. Strain and serve. 

Nutmeg Sauce. 



1 gill of sugar. 

I gill of boiling water. 

I teaspoonful of flour, 



% oiz. nutmeg, grated. 
I tablespoonful of butter. 
I saltspoonf ul of salt. 



PUDDINGS. 



287 



Mix the flour, sugar, and nutmeg together, and pour the 
boiling water on them. Place on the fire, and stir until the 
mixture begins to boil. Simmer for ten minutes ; then add 
the salt and butter. Boil up once and serve. Any flavor 
may be substituted for the nutmeg. 

This is one of the simplest and most useful pudding 
sauces made. 



Italian Sauce. 



I gill of sugar. 
I gill of water. 
A slight grating of 
rind of a lemon. 



the yellow 



I tablespoonful of lemon juice. 
A slight grating of nutmeg. 
I teaspoonful of butter. 
Whites of two eggs. 



Boil the sugar, water, nutmeg, and the rind of lemon for 
fifteen minutes. When this mixture has been boiling for 
ten minutes, begin to beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff 
dry froth. Add the butter and lemon juice to the boihng 
syrup ; then, when all boils up, pour the syrup in a thin 
stream on the whites of the egg, beating constantly. Beat 
for two minutes and the sauce will be ready to serve. It is 
particularly good for any kind of moist, steamed, or baked 
pudding. 



Golden Sauce. 



2 tablespoonfuls of butter. 
I gill of powdered sugar. 



I egg- 

% teaspoonful of vanilla extract. 



Beat the butter to a cream. Gradually beat into it the 
powdered sugar. Next add the yolk of the egg, and beat 
well. Beat the white of the egg to a stiff froth and stir into 
the sauce. Add the flavor. Place the bowl in a pan of 
boihng water and cook for four minutes, stirring all the 
time. 

Three tablespoonfuls of wine may be substituted for the 
vanilla. 



288 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 
Hot Cream Sauce. 



I egg- 

% cupful of powdered sugar. 

I teaspoonful of corn starch. 



I teaspoonful of butter. 

I teaspoonful of vanilla extract. 

I cupful of boiling milk or cream- 



Beat the white of the tgg to a stiff, dry froth ; then gradu- 
ally beat into it the powdered sugar and corn sta ch. Next 
add the yolk of the egg and beat well. Pour upon this the 
cupful of boiling milk, and place on the fire. Stir until it 
boils, then add the butter and vanilla, and serve. Any 
other flavor may be substituted for the vanilla. 



CHAPTER XIX. 

SWEETS. 

Soft Custard. 



1 pint of milk. 

2 large tablespoonfuls of sugar. 

3 eggs. 



ys teaspoonful of salt. 
Flavor. 



Beat the eggs and sugar together for six minutes, and 
add a gill of cold milk to them. Put the remainder of the 
milk in the double-boiler and set on the fire. When this 
milk comes to the boiling point, pour it over the ingre- 
dients in the bowl, and stir well. Turn the mixture into 
the double-boiler, and, placing it on the fire, cook, stirring 
all the while, until the custard will coat the spoon. It will 
take about five minutes. Take from the fire, and instantly 
turn into the cold bowl. Stir constantly until it begins to 
cool. Should it grow thin as it cools, you may know that 
it has not cooked enough ; in which case it should be re- 
turned to the double-boiler and cooked a little longer. If, 
on the other hand, it begins to look slightly curdled on tak- 
ing it from the fire, it has cooked too much. In that case, 
pour it back and forth from one bowl to another, holding 
the bowl from which it is poured quite high, and the custard 
will become smooth again, unless it be very much overdone. 

Soft custard is one of the easiest dishes for dessert that 
one can make, and one of the most useful ; but only expe- 
rience will enable one to detect the changes in the cooking 
mixture. It is impossible to give exact time. When eggs 
are cheap allow four ; for this dish is improved by the use 
of a generous number. 

19 



290 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

The yolks of the eggs make a richer custard than when 
the whole egg is used. If the whites be required for any 
other purpose, you may use even half a dozen yc^lks. 

Baked Cup Custards. 

Make these the same as the custard pudding, and pour 
into four custard cups. Place the cups in a pan of warm 
water and bake in a moderate oven until firm in the centre. 

Steamed Cup Custards. 

Make the same as the baked custards, but steam over 
boiling water until firm in the centre. 

Tapioca Custard. 



2 tablespoonfuls of tapioca. 
I cupful of cold water. 
I pint of milk. 
I large egg. 



I gill of sugar. 

% teaspoonful vanilla extract. 

X^ teaspoonful of salt. 



Wash the tapioca in cold water ; then put it in a bowl 
with the cupful of cold water and soak it over night. In 
the morning put the milk in a double-boiler and set on the 
fire. Beat together the sugar, eggs, and salt. Drain off any 
water the tapioca may have absorbed. Add the tapioca to 
the eggs and sugar, and, as soon as the milk boils, stir in 
this mixture. Cook for five minutes, stirring all the time. 
Take from the fire and add the vanilla extract. Pour into a 
bowl and set away to cool. At serving time pour the pud- 
ding into a glass dish. It should be icy cold. 



Rennet Custard. 



1 pint of sweet milk. 

2 tablespoonfuls of sugar. 
3^ of a nutmeg. 



I tablespoonful of rennet wine, or 
Yz tablespoonful of essence 
of rennet. 



SWEETS. 291 

Make the milk blood- warm, and then add the sugar and 
rennet wine, stirring only enough to mix the ingredients. 
Pour this into glass custard cups, and grate the nutmeg over 
the custards. Let them stand in a warm room until the mix- 
ture becomes firm ; then set in a cold place until serving 
time. 

The prepared rennet, which can be bought in small 
bottles, may be substituted for the rennet wine. 



Slip 



1 pint of milk. 

2 tablespoonf uls of sugar. 



1 tablespoonful of rennet wine. 

2 tablespoonf uls of sherry. 



Have the milk blood-warm, — about one hundred degrees. 
Flavor it, and pour it into the dish in which it is to be 
served. Now add the rennet wine, and stir gently, to mix 
it. Let the dish stand in the warm room until the mixture 
has stiffened ; then place it in the refrigerator, or in a cold 
room, until the time to serve. The slip must not be dis- 
turbed until you are ready to serve it on the table, as it 
may separate into curds and whey when once broken. 

Strawberry Bavarian Cream. 



I pint of strawberries. 

I gill of sugar. 

Yz gill of boiling water. 



I gill of cold water, scant measure. 
y^ package of gelatine. 
I quart of whipped cream. 



Pick over the strawberries, put them in a bowl with the 
sugar, and crush well. Let them stand for two hours. Soak 
the gelatine in the cold water for two hours. Next whip 
the cream. Rub the strawberries and sugar through a 
strainer into a large bowl. Pour the boiHng water on the 
gelatine, and when this is dissolved, add it to the strained 
strawberries. Place the bowl in a pan of ice-water and let 
it stand, stirring all the time, until it begins to thicken. 
Immediately add the whipped cream, stirring it in gently. 



292 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

Pour the cream into a mould, which has been dipped in 
cold water, and set away to harden. At serving time dip 
the mould in tepid water, turn out the cream on a large flat 
dish, and heap whipped cream around it. One pint and a 
half of cream will give enough whipped cream to make the 
dish and to serve with it. 

Sea Moss Farina Blancmange. 



I pint of milk, 

I even teaspoonful of sea moss 
farina. 



I saltspopnf ul of salt. 
I tablespoonful of sugar. 
% teaspoonful of flavor. 



Put the farina in a bowl, and gradually pour the milk 
over it, stirring until smooth. Turn into the double-boiler 
and cook, stirring frequently, until the mass looks white; 
then add the sugar, salt, and flavor. Rinse a mould in cold 
water, and turn the blancmange into it. Set away in a cool 
place to harden. It should have three or four hours for 
this. Serve with powdered sugar and cream. 

Chocolate Blancmange. 

Make as directed for the sea moss farina. While it is 
cooking put into a small pan two tablespoonfuls of shaved 
chocolate, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, and one of hot water. 
Stir over a hot fire until smooth and glossy ; then stir into 
the hot blancmange. Pour into moulds and set away to 
harden. 

Moss Blancmange. 



I gill of Irish moss. 

1 quart of milk. 

2 tablespoonfuls of sugar. 



I saltspoonful of salt. 
I teaspoonful of vanilla or lemon 
extract. 



Measure the moss loosely. Wash it and pick out all the 
pebbles and seaweed. Continue washing it until every 
particle of sand is removed. Put it in the double-boiler 
with the cold milk, and place on the fire. Cook for twenty 



SWEETS. 293 

minutes, stirring frequently ; then add the salt, and strain 
into a bowl. Now add the sugar and flavor. Rinse a bowl 
in cold water, and, after turning the blancmange into it, set 
it away to harden. Serve with powdered sugar and cream. 



Wine Jelly. 



^ package of gelatine. 
^ pint of wine. 
I pint of water. 



2 lemons. 

Yz pint of sugar. 



Soak the gelatine in a gill of cold water for two hours. 
Heat the remainder of the water to the boiling point, and 
pour it upon the soaked gelatine. Add the sugar, lemon 
juice, and wine. Place the bowl in a pan of boiling water 
and stir until the liquid is clear. Strain through a napkin 
and pour into moulds. Set away to harden. 

Cider Jelly. 

1/2 package of gelatine, scant 1 Yz pint of sugar, 
measure. I i>^ pints of cider. 

Soak the gelatine in half a pint of the cider for two hours. 
Heat the rest of the cider to the boiling point and pour it 
on the soaked gelatine. Add the sugar, and place the bowl 
in a pan of boiling water. Stir until the liquid is clear ; then 
strain, pour into a mould, and set away to harden. 



Lemon Jelly. 



Yz package of gelatine. 
I gill of cold water. 
I gill of lemon juice. 
I pint of boiling water. 



Yz pint of sugar. 

A few strips of the thin yellow 
rind of a lemon. 



Soak the gelatine for two hours in the cold water. Pour 
the pint of boiling water on the lemon rind and let it stand 
for two hours. At the end of that time place on the fire ; 
and when it boils pour it over the soaked gelatine. Now add 



294 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

the sugar, and, placing the bowl in a pan of boiling water, 
stir until the liquid is clear. Strain through a coarse napkin, 
and, turning into a mould, set away to harden. 

In hot weather be generous in the measure of gelatine. 

Orange Jelly. 



^ a package of gelatine. 
Enough oranges to yield ^ pint 

of juice. 
Yz pint of boiling water. 



^ pint of sugar. 

The juice of one lemon. 

1 gill of cold water. 



Soak the gelatine in the cold water for two hours. Squeeze 
the oranges, grating the thin yellow rind from one into the 
juice ; but be careful not to grate off any of the white skin. 
Add the lemon juice. Pour the boiling water on the soaked 
gelatine. Add the sugar, and place the bowl in a pan of 
boiling water. Now add the fruit juice, and stir until the 
liquid is clear. Strain through a napkin and pour into 
moulds. Set away to harden. 

Whipped cream is a desirable addition to this jelly when 
it is served. 

Strawberry Jelly. 

Make in the same way as the orange jelly, using half a 
pint of strawberry juice. 

Raspberry Jelly. 
Make in the same way as orange jelly, using raspberry 
juice. 

Blackberry Jelly. 

Use a pint of blackberry juice and half a pint of water, 
and proceed as for orange jelly. 



Coffee Jelly. 



yi package of gelatine. 
I gill of cold water. 
T gill of boiling water. 



I pint of hot coffee. 

^ pint of sugar. 

I tablespoonful of lemon juice. 



SWEETS. 



295 



Soak the gelatine in the cold water for two hours or more. 
Pour the boiling water and hot coffee on this. Add the sugar 
and lemon juice. Set the bowl in a pan of boiling water 
and stir until all the sugar is dissolved ; then strain through 
a coarse napkin and turn into a mould. Set away in a cold 
place for six or more hours. Serve with whipped cream, or 
with plain cream and sugar. 




DIRECTIONS FOR FREEZING. 

The mixture to be frozen should be icy cold. Put it in 
the freezing can, and place this in position in the wooden 
tub. See that every part of 
the freezer is properly fas- 
tened, and that the can and 
beater work with ease when 
the crank is turned. Pound 
the ice in a bag until it is 
almost as fine as snow. Put 
a layer of ice in the freezer, 
having it come about one 
third the height of the tin 
can. Now add a layer of salt, 
and, with a wooden paddle or a flat stick, pack the salt and 
ice as solid as possible. Continue this until the salt and 
ice come to the top of the tin can. Work the freezer 
occasionally, that the mixture may be more firmly packed. 
Now begin to turn the crank slowly for ten minutes ; then 
turn rapidly for ten minutes longer, at the end of which 
time the mixture should be frozen into a light, thick mass. 
Take off the cross-piece ; next wipe the top of the tin can ; 
take out the beater, scrape off all the frozen mixture, and 
return it to the freezer. Work a strong iron spoon up and 
down in the cream until the mass becomes compact and 
light. Place a piece of white or brown paper over the 
can, and then put on the cover and replace the cross- 



MALLET AND ICE-BAG. 



296 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 







piece. Put a piece of woollen carpet over the .tub and set 
away in a cold place. 

In warm weather it will be necessary to repack the cream. 
To do this, place the freezer on the edge of the sink and 
take the stopper from the lower part of the tub. This will 
allow the water to pass off. Now put back the stopper and 
pack with enough salt and ice to come over the cover of the 
tin can. 

For a two-quart freezer allow for the first packing one 
pint and a half of salt and enough ice to pack hard to the 
top of the wooden tub. Snow may be used in winter. If 
the snow should be very dry, sprinkle a little water over 
each layer before it is packed down. Never let the water 
off while freezing, unless there be danger of its coming up 
to the cover of the tin can. .In that case take out the stop- 
per and let off only enough water to be assured that the 
rest cannot get into the tin can. The water is essential to 
the freezing of the cream. 

When the frozen mixture has been used, and the ice has 
melted, pour the water into a strainer, and save the salt to 
use when freezing again. 

Vanilla Ice Cream. 



3 gills of milk. 

I pint of cream, generous measure. 

Yz pint of sugar. 



I tablespoonful of flour. 

I egg. 

I tablespoonful of vanilla. 



Set the milk on the fire, in the double-boiler. Put the 
flour, half the sugar, and the unbeaten egg in a bowl, and 
beat until light. Stir this into the boiUng milk, and cook 
for fifteen minutes, beating frequently. On taking from the 
fire, add the remainder of the sugar and the cream. Beat 
well, and set away to cool. When cold, add the flavor, 
and freeze. 

Any other flavor may be substituted for vanilla. For 



SWEETS. 297 

coffee ice cream use three tablespoonfuls of the extract of 
coffee ; for lemon, three fourths of a tablespoonful of lemon 
extract. 

Chocolate Ice Cream. 

Make the foundation the same as for vanilla cream. 
Shave mie ounce of plain chocolate and put it in a small 
pan with two tablespoonfuls of sugar and one tablespoonful 
of boiling water. Stir this over a hot fire until smooth and 
glossy ; then stir it into the cooking mixture. Finish with 
the cream and sugar, the same as when making the vanilla 
cream, and freeze. 

Pistachio Ice Cream. ^ 

Make the cream the same as for vanilla ice cream, but 
flavor with a teaspoonful of pistachio extract and half a 
teaspoonful of almond. Color with one eighth of a tea- 
spoonful of the green coloring that can be bought of first- 
class grocers. This«is a delicious cream. 

Be sure to get the flavor and coloring of a reputable 
manufacturer. 

Peach Ice Cream. 



i}4 pints of cream. 

I pint of fresh, ripe peaches. 



3 gills of sugar. 

]^ teaspoonful of almond extract, 



After paring and stoning the peaches, mash them in a 
bowl with the sugar and let them stand for an hour or 
more ; then rub them through a fine strainer, and add the* 
cream and almond to them. Freeze. A little liquid 
cochineal may be added to the cream to give it color. 

Strawberry Ice Cream. 

I quart of strawberries. 
3 gills of sugar. 
i^z pints of cream. 



298 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Hull the strawberries and mash them in a bowl with the 
sugar. Let them stand for two or more hours ; then rub 
through a strainer fine enough to keep back the seeds. Add 
the cream, and freeze. 

Lemon Sherbet. 

3 gills of sugar. 
I % pints of water. 
5 lemons. 

Boil the sugar and water together for twenty minutes. 
Cool the syrup, add the lemon juice, and freeze. 

Orange Sherbet. 

3 gills of sugar, 1 i lemon. 

ID oranges. | i j^ pints of water. 

Grate the thin yellow rind of three oranges into a bowl. 
Squeeze the juice of two oranges on this and let the mix- 
ture stand for an hour or more. Boil the sugar and water 
together for thirty minutes. Add the orange and lemon 
juice to this. Strain the juice in which the rind has been 
soaking, and add to the mixture. Freeze. 

In grating the orange rind great care must be taken not 
to go beyond the thin yellow surface. If the grating be 
deep, the sherbet will be bitter. 

The juices of any acid fruit may be made very sweet, 
diluted with water, and frozen. 

Milk Sherbet. 



I pint of milk. 
Yz gill of boiling water. 
3 tablespoonfuls of powdered 
sugar. 



2 lemons. 

I gill granulated sugar. 

y^ tablespoonful of corn starch. 



Cut the thin yellow rind from the lemon and put it in a 
bowl. Pour the water on the rind. Cover the bowl and 



SWEETS. 299 

set it on the back part of the range for half an hour. Mix 
the lemon juice and powdered sugar together. When the 
rind has steeped for half an hour, strain the water on the 
lemon juice and sugar. 

Mix the corn starch with three tablespoonfuls of milk. 
Put the remainder of the milk on to boil in the double- 
boiler. Stir the corn starch mixture into the boiling milk, 
and, after adding the sugar, cook for ten minutes. Cool 
this mixture, and then freeze for ten minutes. Take the 
cover from the freezer and stir the lemon mixture into the 
cream. Put on the cover and finish freezing. 

Peach Ice. 

I quart of sliced ripe peaches, 
i/^ gills of sugar. 
ij4, pints of water. 

Boil the sugar and water until the syrup is reduced to 
one pint. Mash the peaches fine, and rub through a 
strainer. Add the syrup to the strained fruit, and freeze. 

Apricot Ice. 

%, can of apricots. 
j4, pint of water. 
y^ pint of sugar. 

Rub the apricots through a sieve. Add the water and 
sugar to the strained fruit, and freeze. 

The sugar and water may be boiled together for fifteen 
minutes, and, when cold, added to the strained apricot. 
This will give a smoother and richer ice. 



CHAPTER XX. 
BEVERAGES. 

Tea. 

THE making of a good cup of tea is one of the simplest 
things in the world. Use an earthenware or china 
teapot. Fill it with boiling water and let stand for four or five 
minutes ; then pour out the water, leaving not a drop in the 
pot. Put the dry tea into the warm pot and after putting 
on the cover, set back where it will keep warm for a few 
minutes ; then pour the boiling water on the tea and send 
to the table. This is for all the light kinds of tea, such as 
Oolong or black tea. English breakfast tea should steep 
on the fire for a few minutes, to suit most tastes- If made 
without this steeping, it has a much brighter and fresher 
flavor, but it lacks the body so much prized by lovers of 
this beverage. 

The proportions of tea and water vary with the taste of 
the family or individual. The old rule of a teaspoonful for 
each person and a teaspoonful for the pot, makes rather 
strong tea, if three gills of water be allowed for each 
person. 

The water must be boiling when it is poured on the dry 
tea. Many people seem to think that, if it has boiled some 
time in the past, it will suffice simply to have it hot when 
the tea is made. But if water boil a long time all the gases 
will be driven off, and the water become flat and flavorless. 
Such water is unfit for the making of tea and coffee. 

Keep the teakettle clean, by washing it out every day, 
and always fill the kettle with fresh water when preparing to 
make tea or coffee. 



BEVERAGES. 301 

The Oolong and all light teas deteriorate with age, 
whereas English breakfast tea improves. 

Coffee. 

Much of the quality of a cup of coffee depends upon the 
berry, and the process of making. There are two classes of 
berries : the strong and the mild. To the strong belong 
the Rio and Santas ; to the mild, the Java, Mocha, Mara- 
caibo, and others. The last named kinds are usually the 
highest priced. 

Coffee should not be roasted a long time before it is 
ground. Few housekeepers roast their own coffee. Only 
a small amount of the roasted article should be bought at a 
time. It should be kept in an air-tight jar and in a dry 
place. Do not buy the coffee already ground, for it loses 
its fine flavor more rapidly when in 
the ground form than when whole. 
Have a small mill, that can be reg- 
ulated to grind coarse or fine. 

A mixture of two or more kinds of 
coffee gives the most satisfactory re-; 
suits. Two thirds Java or Maracaibo 
with one third Mocha will give a rich, 
smooth coffee. If the flavor be de- coffee-mill. 

sired strong, one part Java, one part Mocha, and one 
part Rio may be used. If economy must be practised, 
all Rio may be taken. If the roasted coffee be thoroughly 
heated just before or after it has been ground, and if, after 
being taken from the fire, but while still hot, a little butter 
be stirred into it, the beverage will be much richer and 
smoother ; or the entire purchase may be thoroughly heated 
at one time, and the butter be stirred into it then. Allow a 
generous tablespoonful of butter to a pound of coffee. 

There are many methods of making coffee. Two of the 
best are given below. 




302 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Boiled Coffee. 



2tablespoonfuls of coarsely ground 

coffee. 
I pint of boiling water. 



2 tablespoonfuls of cold water. 
yi saltspoonf ul of salt. 



Scald the coffee-pot with boihng water. Put the dry coffee 
into it and pour the boiling water upon it. Place on the 
fire, and, when it begins to boil, draw the pot back where 
the coffee will just bubble for five minutes. At the end of 
that time add the salt and cold water. Set the pot back 
where the coffee cannot boil, and let it stand for two or 
three minutes ; then serve. 

There is a coffee settler in the market which can be used 
instead of the salt and water. 

An egg makes the coffee richer in flavor, and clears it 
perfectly. One small egg will answer for six or eight table- 
spoonfuls of coffee. The egg, shell and all^ should be 
broken into a cup and beaten. After using what is required, 
cover the cup and put it in a cold place. This will keep 
for two or three days. 

When an egg is used for clearing the coffee it should be 
stirred into the dry grounds, and be cooked with the coffee. 

If one wish the beverage stronger or weaker, increase or 
diminish the amount of the ground berry. 

Filtered Coffee. 

Coffee biggins come expressly for making filtered, or 
" drip" coffee. There are two compartments to this pot- 
In the upper one there is a double strainer, on which is 
placed the coffee. Above the coffee there is placed 
another rather coarse strainer. This upper compartment 
is placed on the lower one ; boiling water is poured 
through the upper strainer and it falls like rain upon the 
coffee below. The points to remember when making 




BEVERAGES. 303 

coffee in this way are to have the pot hot, the coffee 
ground to a fine powder, the water poured on gradually 
while boihng, and not to have the 
beverage boil. 

Use two tablespoonfuls of finely ground 
coffee to one pint of boiling water. After 
putting the coffee in the pot, and fitting 
every part into its proper place, set the 
coffee-pot in a pan of hot water and on 
the range. Pour half a gill of boiling 
water into the upper strainer, and put 

,, T .. *u- 4. J r ^u COFFEE BIGGIN. 

on the cover. Let this stand for three 
or four minutes, that the powder may become wet and 
swell. Now add half the remaining boiling water; and 
after two or three minutes add the remainder. At the 
end of five minutes all the water will have filtered 
through, and the coffee be ready to serve. 

A small quantity of coffee cannot be made in a large pot, 
because the water will pass through the thin layer of powder 
before it has had time to extract the strength of the berry. 
If all the water were poured on the powder at once, it 
would dislodge the dry grains and pass through without 
extracting the flavor from the coffee. 

A flannel bag is often hung in a coffee-pot, the fine 
powder being put in it and the boihng water poured 
directly on the dry coffee. There are many inventions 
in the line of coffee-pots which are very satisfactory, 
but the housekeeper should investigate and test them for 
herself. 

Coffee-pots must be kept absolutely clean, if you would 
have a satisfactory cup of coffee. A few old grounds, 
lodged in a groove in the pot, may spoil the flavor of the 
finest berry. 

If you cannot have cream for your cup of coffee, at least 
have hot milk. 



304 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Cocoa. 

Several preparations are made from the cocoa bean. 
We find the product in the market in the form of choco- 
late, plain, and also sweetened and flavored. This is the 
roasted bean ground to a smooth, fine substance, which 
retains the oily substance known as cocoa butter. This 
makes a rich beverage which few people can use daily. 
The chocolate is valuable in the preparation of various 
kinds of food and confections, and to use occasionally as 
a beverage. In its sweetened form it can be taken in the 
pocket when going on long tramps ; an ounce of it will 
allay the feeling of faintness and hunger which comes with 
long fasting. 

Breakfast cocoa is made by pressing nearly all the cocoa 
butter from the roasted and finely ground bean. This gives 
a delicate dry powder, which makes a digestible, nutritious, 
and pleasant drink. Because it in part takes the place of 
animal food, it is very economical. 

The cocoa shells and nibs, when prepared as a beverage, 
are not very valuable as a food, because only a small part of 
the cocoa is extracted in the boiling. The process of pre- 
paring the cocoa bean for the market is almost wholly 
mechanical, so that when you get your cocoa and chocolate 
from a trustworthy manufacturer you may be sure that you 
are using a perfectly pure article and one absolutely clean. 

Chocolate. 

I pint of milk. I 1%, tablespoonfuls of sugar. 

I ounce of good chocolate. I i tablespoonful of hot water. 

Put the milk on the fire, in the double-boiler. Shave the 
chocolate, and, putting it into a small pan with the sugar 
and water, stir over a hot fire until smooth and glossy. 
Stir this into the boiling milk ; then beat the chocolate with 



BEVERAGES. 305 

a whisk, to make it froth. Pour into a hot pot, and serve 
at once. 

Long eooking separates the oil from the chocolate and 
spoils the beverage. 

Breakfast Cocoa. 

1 pint of milk. 

2 level teaspoonfuls of breakfast cocoa. 

3 tablespoonfuls of water. 

Put the milk in the double-boiler and set on the fire. 
Mix the cocoa to a smooth paste, with the cold water. 
When the milk boils, add the cocoa, and boil for one 
minute. Serve hot. 

The flavor of this cocoa is always finer when the milk 
actually bubbles up after the cocoa is added. If water or 
part water be used, measure the cocoa more generously. 

Nothing is much more delicious than a good cup of 
cocoa, and nothing is more disappointing than the slops 
one so often gets under this name, because many people 
prepare it by pouring hot water on the powder and then 
adding sugar and milk. This will do when it is impos- 
sible to boil it, but it is only a makeshift. It should be 
remembered that the cocoa bean contains a considerable 
amount of starch, and this starch will be improved by 
boiling. 

Broma. 

Broma is prepared the same as cocoa, but requires a few 
minutes' longer cooking, because of the addition of a starchy 
substance to the powder. 

Cocoa Shells and Nibs. 

The thin shells that are removed from the roasted cocoa 
bean, and a part of the nut in a roughly broken state, are 
used for a beverage. The shells are sometimes used alone, 

20 



3o6 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

but this makes rather a poor drink. The shells and nibs 
are put into a cocoa pot with boiling water and simmered 
for four hours or more. Use a gill of the shells, one table - 
spoonful of the nibs, and a quart of water. This will give a 
generous pint of the beverage. Serve it with hot milk and 
sugar. 

Lemonade. 

1 lemon, 

y^ pint of water. 

2 tablespoonfuls of sugar. 

Squeeze the lemon and strain the juice. Add the sugar 
and water to it and use at once. It should be very cold or 
very hot. Add ice in warm weather. 

When the water is not good^ or in case of sickness, boil- 
ing water may be poured on the sugar and fruit juice ; then 
cool the lemonade. 

When making a lemonade for a company of people, it 
may be mixed in a large handsome bowl. Add to it all or 
any one of the following named fruits : — 

For oTne gallon of lemonade use four quarts of water, 
twenty lemons, one quart of sugar, one banana, half a pine- 
apple, six oranges, one pint of strawberries. 

Use the juice of the lemons and oranges ; have the pine- 
apple and banana cut in thin slices ; the strawberries should 
be whole. Raspberries, as well as strawberries, may be 
used. 



CHAPTER XXI. 
PRESERVES AND PICKLES. 

Quality of the Fruit. 

IT is a waste of time and strength to preserve unripe, over- 
ripe or inferior fruits. One should select sound, ripe, 
well flavored fruits for this purpose. 

What to do with Fruit Pulp. 

When making jellies with crab apples, quinces, peaches, 
etc., there is always a great deal of pulp left. The thrifty- 
housekeeper does not like to throw this away, although 
all the fine flavor of the fruit has been extracted with the 
juice. If fruit be plentiful and cheap, it will be economy to 
throw this impoverished pulp away ; if, on the other hand, 
fruit be high and scarce, add some fresh fruit, sugar, and 
water to the cooked pulp, and boil until a smooth marma- 
lade is formed. 

Cooked quince may be combined with fresh tart apples, 
sugar, and a little water. While the mixture is hot, can it, 
and it will be found good for pies and other uses when the 
fresh fruit is scarce. 

Preserved Peaches. 

The peaches should be sound and ripe. Weigh the fruit, 
and for every nine pounds make a syrup with three pounds 
of sugar and one pint of water ; skimming the syrup as soon 
as it boils up. 



3o8 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Have ready a kettle of boiling water and a bowl of cold 
water. Fill a wire basket with peaches and plunge into the 
boiling water for two minutes. Lift the basket from the 
water and turn the peaches into a bowl. Pare them, and 
drop them into the cold water. This is to preserve the 
color. 

Drop the peaches, a few at a time, into the boiling syrup. 
Cook them until they are heated through, and are tender ; 
then put in a hot jar as many as will go in without crowding, 
and fill up with syrup. Cover the jar at once. 

If many peaches are to be preserved it is best to make 
the syrup in several lots, as otherwise the long cooking, 
together with the fruit juice, will make it dark. 

Preserved Pears. 

Make a syrup like that for the peaches, allowing one 
quart of water to three pounds of sugar and nine pounds of 
pears. 

Pare the pears with a silver knife and drop them in a 
bowl of cold water to preserve- the color. On taking them 
from the water drop them into the boiling syrup. Cook 
them gently until they can be easily pierced with a silver 
fork. The time depends upon the ripeness of the fruit. 
The pears may be preserved whole or in halves. Put the 
cooked fruit into hot jars, and, after filling up with boiling 
syrup, seal. 

Crab Apples. 

Make the syrup as for peaches ; allowing, however, half a 
pound of sugar to a pound of fruit. Clean the blossom end 
of the apples by rubbing, and drop them into water. Wash 
and drain them. Drop them, a few at a time, into the hot 
syrup, and cook until they can be pierced with a silver 
fork. Fill the jars with the fruit, and, after filling up with 
hot syrup, seal the jars. 

The stems are left on crab apples. 



PRESERVES AND PICKLES. 309 

Preserved Plums. 

Make the syrup for the large white plums the same as for 
crab apples. Peel the plums by plunging in boiling water, 
like peaches. Cook and finish the same as crab apples. 

Preserved Damson Plums. 

These are preserved the same as the white plums, except 
that they are not peeled. They will cook in about three 
minutes. 

Grape Preserve. 

This preserve should be made with a tender-skinned 
grape. The Concord grape is too tough- skinned to make 
a satisfactory preserve. 

Squeeze the pulp out of the skin, and, after putting it in 
the preserving kettle, set on the fire. Stir frequently, and 
cook until the pulp will break up readily. This will require 
only a few minutes' boiling. Rub the pulp through a sieve, 
rejecting the seeds. Measure the skins and pulp, and put 
them in the preserving kettle. For every quart of the fruit 
add one pint and a half of sugar, and one gill of water. 
Cook for twenty minutes after the preserve begins to boil ; 
then put in jars and seal. If you choose, use less sugar ; 
or, if you prefer to have the preserve sweeter, allow a pound 
of sugar for each pound of fruit. 

Preserved Quinces. 

Have a kettle of boiling water on the fire. Pare the fruit 
and remove the cores ; then weigh it. Drop the pared 
fruit into the boiling water, and cook gently until so tender 
that it can be pierced with a straw. Take it from the water 
and drain it. Make a syrup the same as for peaches, and 



310 MISS PARLOAS YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

put the cooked fruit into it. Simmer for about half an 
hour ; then put up in jars. This amount of sugar — one 
pound to three pounds of fruit — makes a fairly rich pre- 
serve. Less may be used if one prefer to have the quinces 
less rich. 

Preserved Pineapple. 

Pare the pineapple, remove the eyes, and cut the fruit 
into thin slices, cutting down the sides until the heart is 
reached. Weigh the sliced fruit and put it in a bowl, with 
half a pound of granulated sugar to every pound of fruit. 
Mix the fruit and sugar well, and put it in a cold place over 
night. In the morning put the fruit and sugar in the pre- 
serving kettle, and place on the range. When the syrup 
begins to boil, skim carefully ; then fill the hot jars with the 
preserve and seal them. 

The pineapple may be shredded with a silver fork, instead 
of being sliced. Be careful to keep out all the woody 
fibres of the heart of the fruit. 



Preserved Uncooked Pineapple. 

Pare the pineapple and take out all the eyes. With a 
sharp knife, cut the fruit in thin slices, cutting down the 
sides until the heart is reached (this is to be discarded). 
Weigh the sliced pineapple and put it in an earthen dish. 
Add to it as many pounds of granulated sugar as there are 
pounds of fruit. Stir this gently ; then pack the fruit and 
sugar in pint jars, leaving space for two tablespoonfuls of 
Jamaica rum in each jar. Add the liquor ; then put on the 
covers and tighten them. Set away in a cool, dark place. 

Wine or brandy may be substituted for the rum ; or, the 
jars may be packed solidly to the top, and sealed, without 
using any spirit. This fruit will keep well, and is so tender 
that it will melt in the mouth. It is, of course, very rich. 



PRESERVES AND PICKLES. 3II 

Sun Cooked Strawberries. 

Pick over the berries and weigh them ; then put them in 
the preserving kettle. Add to them as many pounds of gran- 
ulated sugar as there are of strawberries. Do not have the 
fruit and sugar more than three or four inches deep in the 
preserving kettle. Place on the fire and heat slowly to 
the boiling point. Let the preserve cook for just ten min- 
utes from the time it begins to boil, skimming well. Take 
up and pour into meat platters, having the preserve not much 
more than an inch and a half deep. Set the platters on 
tables at sunny windows. They should stand in the sun for 
twenty- four full hours. If the sun does not shine one day, 
let the fruit remain until it does. Put up cold in preserve 
jars. This preserve is perfect. 



CANNING FRUITS. 

The destruction of germs and the exclusion of air are the 
principles upon which canning is based. The article to be 
preserved is cooked for a short time, and then put in jars 
from which the air has been expelled by heating them to 
the boiling point. They are then sealed, and when cold 
are set in a cool, dark place. If all the conditions be right, 
the fruit will keep for an unlimited number of years, and 
when opened will be found to have nearly all the freshness 
and aroma of newly gathered fruit. 

Now this is true of the majority of fruits, but not of all. 
The strawberry subjected to this process will come out a 
pale, spongy, insipid thing, whereas the raspberry seems to 
have its color, flavor, and odor intensified. If, however, 
a generous amount of sugar be added to the strawberry in 
the cooking, the fruit will retain its shape, color, and flavor. 
It is an error to attempt to can this berry without sugar, or 
with only a small amount. 



312 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

Filling the Jars. 

To fill the jars, have on the stove two pans partially filled 
with water. Let the water in one be boiling, but in the other 
not so hot that the hand cannot be held in it with comfort. 
Put a few jars and covers in the cooler water, turning them 
now and then until all parts become warm ; then put them 
in the boiling water. This does away with all danger of 
breaking. When the jars have been heated in boiling water, 
drain, fill, and seal them one at a time. 

In filling the jars be sure that they stand level, that the 
syrup has filled all the interstices between the fruit, and that 
it also runs over the top of the jars. Even with this over- 
flowing of the syrup it will be found that, after cooling, 
the can is not quite full ; but if the work has been properly 
done, the fruit will keep all right. 

Different Fruits Need Different Treatment. 

Now, as to the different modes of treating various kinds 
of fruit. We know that, when the germs are killed and the 
air is excluded, sugar is not necessary for the preservation of 
the fruit. But there are few kinds of fruit that are not im- 
proved by some sugar, because it fixes the color and flavor, 
and gives much finer results. Some kinds of fruit require 
but little sugar for this purpose, while others are poor indeed 
without a generous amount. One has only to contrast the 
flavor and quality of the canned peaches that are put up 
with and without sugar to realize the great superiority of 
those with which saccharine matter has been used. Where 
fruits are too dry to give out enough juice to cover them 
generously, a light syrup should be used. But with juicy 
fruits, avoid water if possible. A good rule in the case of 
small berries is to allow one third of a pound of sugar to 
each pound of fruit. 

For fruit like peaches, pears, plums, etc., make a light 



PRESERVES AND PICKLES. 313 

syrup. Quinces must first be cooked in clear water until 
tender. 

In paring fruit use silver-plated knives, and drop each 
piece as soon as pared into a bowl of cold water, which has 
been made acid by the addition of lemon juice. This pre- 
vents the fruit from turning dark. Use earthen bowls, and 
wooden or silver-plated spoons. Avoid any delay while 
doing this work. 

To Can Small Fruits. 

Any fruit, if boiled long enough to have all the germs 
killed and the air expelled, will keep indefinitely if sealed 
while boiling hot. Sugar helps to preserve the fruit, but it 
is not absolutely essential to its preservation. Sugar, how- 
ever, preserves the fine flavor and color of the fruit. Some 
fruits are not good when canned, unless a great deal of 
sugar be used, whereas just the contrary is true of other 
kinds. Tastes differ as to the amount of sugar to be em- 
ployed ; each housekeeper must study her own tastes and 
those of her family. Blueberries need no sugar, but are 
richer if a little be used. Blackberries and raspberries are 
better for some sugar, — say a pound of sugar to four or six 
pounds of fruit. More may be used, if hked. Strawberries 
require a great deal to preserve the color and texture. All 
small fruits are richer if preserved in their own juice. 

Here is a rule for preserving raspberries, and the same gen- 
eral principles apply to other fruits : — Take twelve quarts 
of raspberries and two of sugar. Heat and crush three 
quarts of the fruit ; then turn it, together with the juice, into 
a piece of cheese-cloth which has been placed over a- bowl. 
Squeeze as much juice as possible from the hot fruit. Put 
the juice and sugar in the preserving kettle, and set on 
the fire. When the mixture begins to boil, skim well, and 
add the whole berries. Simmer for fifteen minutes, skim- 
ming well. Put the hot fruit in heated jars, and seal. 

If the combined flavor of raspberry and currant be liked, 



314 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

use a quart of currant juice for the syrup. In that case use 
an extra pint of sugar. The twelve quarts of raspberries are 
then preserved whole. 

Canned Rhubarb. 

Get tender rhubarb. Pare it, and cut in pieces about 
two inches long. Wash, and then pack it in glass jars. 
Fill the jars with cold water, and let them stand for ten or 
fifteen minutes. Pour off the water and fill the jars to over- 
flowing with fresh cold water. Seal the jars and put them in 
a cool, dark place. This will keep for a year or more, and 
should be treated the same as fresh uncooked rhubarb when 
required for use. 

Blackberry Jam. 

After picking over the berries, put them in the preserving 
kettle and set on the range. Stir the fruit frequently. Let 
it boil for twenty minutes, counting from the time it begins 
to bubble. Take it from the fire and rub it through a sieve 
fine enough to keep back the seeds. Measure the strained 
mixture and put it back in the preserving kettle with a pint 
and a half of granulated sugar for every quart of strained fruit. 
Heat the preserve slowly and stir frequently. Let it simmer 
for forty-five minutes ; then put up the jelly in tumblers. 

If the fruit be of the large, soft kind that has few seeds, 
it need not be strained. 

Raspberry Jam. 

12 quarts of raspberries. 
3 quarts of sugar 

Pick the fruit free from leaves, stems, and imperfect ber- 
ries. Put it in a preserving kettle and set on the fire. Stir 
frequently. Simmer for half an hour after it begins to boil ; 
then add the sugar, and simmer for one hour longer. Put 
the jam in hot jars, and seal while hot. 



PRESERVES AND PICKLES. 315 



Currant and Raisin Jam. 



3 pounds of sugar. 
I pound of raisins. 
3>'2 pounds of currants. 



I orange. 

I pint of water. 



Cut the raisins in two and seed them ; then cook them 
for one hour or more in the pint of water. Pick over the 
currants and put them on to cook in the preserving kettle. 
Add the orange juice, and cook for fifteen minutes after 
the fruit begins to boil. 

Remove the seeds from the orange, and, after choppmg 
the pulp and peel very fine, rub through the sugar. When 
the currants have been boilmg for fifteen minutes, add the 
other ingredients to them, and cook for fifteen minutes 
longer. Put into jelly glasses, and when cold cover. This 
quantity will fill twelve glasses. 



Pear Marmalade. 



8 pounds of sugar. 

8 pounds of Seckel pears. 



yi pound of crystallized ginger. 
4 small lemons. 



Boil the lemons in clear water until the peel can be 
pierced with a broom splint ; then cut it into small pieces. 
Peel and chip the pears, and cut the ginger in thin slices. 
Put all the ingredients into the preserving kettle and sim- 
mer for two hours. Pour the marmalade into jelly glasses. 
This quantity will fill eighteen. 

The water in which the lemons are cooked is to be thrown 
away. 

Jellies. 

In no department of preserving does the housekeeper 
feel less sure of the results than in jelly making, so much 
depends upon the condition of the fruit. This is more 
pronounced in the case of small fruits than with the larger 
kinds. 



3i6' MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

When currants are over-ripe, or have been picked after a 
rain, the result of using them will be uncertain. Perhaps 
we notice it more with this fruit than with any other, because 
it is so generally used for jelly. An understanding of the 
properties of fruit which forms the basis of jellies may help 
the housekeepers to a better knowledge of the conditions 
and methods essential to success. 

Pectin, which forms the basis of vegetable jellies, is a sub- 
stance which, in its composition, resembles starch and gum. 
It gives to the juices of fruits the property of gelatinizing. 
This property is at its best when the fruit is just ripe ; better 
a little under-rip,e than over-ripe. When boiled for a long 
time fruit loses its gelatinous property and becomes of a 
gummy nature. 

These facts show the importance of using fruit that is but 
just ripe and freshly picked, as well as the need of care not 
to overcook the juice. 

Covering Jellies. 

There are several methods of covering jellies. Pasting 
paper over the top of the glass is one of the oldest. Thin 
sheets of cotton batting, tied over the top, make a good 
covering. A piece of white tissue paper cut to fit into the 
glass, and simply laid on top of the jelly, is all that some 
people use. It is stated that the jelly will not mould or 
shrink so much when covered in this way as when the paper 
is pasted over the glass. 

Currant Jelly. 

After freeing the currants from leaves and stems, put 
them in the preserving kettle and set on the range. Crush 
the fruit with a wooden vegetable masher, and stir fre- 
quently until heated to the boiling point. Have a large 
square of cheese-cloth in a strainer which is set over a 
bowl. Turn the crushed fruit and juice into this and let 



PRESERVES AND PICKLES. 317 

it Stand long enough to drain thoroughly. Do not use any 
pressure to extract the juice. Have a flannel bag suspended 
over a bowl, and pour the strained juice into this. Now 
measure the liquid, and put it into a clean preserving ket- 
tle. When it boils up, add a scant quart of sugar for every 
generous quart of fruit juice. Stir until the sugar is all dis- 
solved and the liquid begins to bubble ; then strain through 
a clean piece of cheese-cloth into a bowl. Immediately 
fill the tumblers, which must be dry and warm. Let them 
stand uncovered until the jelly is set, then cover with a 
round of paper, and over this tie a thin sheet of cotton 
batting ; or paper may be pasted over the glasses. If you 
use the glasses that come with covers, nothing else will be re- 
quired except the first sheet of paper. Many housekeepers 
prefer to use even less sugar than the amount given, allow- 
ing only a pint and a half of sugar to each quart of fruit 
juice. 

Currant Jelly, No. 2. 

Pick the currants free from stems and leaves, and put 
them, a few quarts at a time, in a large earthen or granite- 
ware dish, and crush them with a vegetable masher. Put 
the crushed fruit into a square of cheese-cloth, and press 
out the juice. Put the strained juice into the preserving 
kettle and set on the fire. When it boils, skim it well; 
then turn it into a flannel bag and let it drain into an 
earthen bowl. Do not press the juice through the bag. 
Measure this strained juice, and put it on the fire in a 
clean preserving kettle. Let it boil for five minutes. Now 
add a pint of granulated sugar for every pint of currant 
juice. Stir the mixture until it begins to boil. Boil for 
just one minute ; then fill the glasses, which must be warm,, 
and set them in a sunny window until the jelly is firm. It 
may require only a few hours' time for this, and it may take 
even a day or two ; all depends upon the condition of the 
currants. 



3i8 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

A much clearer and handsomer jelly is made by putting 
the currant juice, when it has been strained the second time, 
into the clean kettle, and adding, when it comes to the boil- 
ing point, the sugar ; then stirring until the sugar is dis- 
solved, and filling the glasses immediately. Set in the sun 
until the jelly becomes firm. It will take two or three 
days. This is called sun- cooked jelly. The currants must 
be in perfect condition for this kind of jelly ; just ripe, and 
freshly picked. 

Crab Apple Jelly. 

Wash the fruit and put it in a preserving kettle with just 
enough water to cover it. Let it simmer for one hour. 
Have a piece of cheese-cloth in a strainer that is set over 
a bowl, and turn the cooked fruit and liquid into it. Let this 
drain well ; then strain the liquid through a clean flannel 
bag. Measure it, and place on the fire, in the preserving 
kettle. Boil for ten minutes, counting from the time it 
begins to boil ; then add the sugar, using a pint and a half 
for every quart of juice. When this boils up, strain through 
clean cheese-cloth, and fill warm tumblers. Cover when the 
jelly is set. 

Peach, apple, and quince jellies may be made in this 
way. 

Other Jellies. 

Jelly can be made from any of the small juicy fruits in 
the same manner as currant jelly. 

Cucuraber Pickles. '° 



100 small green cucumbers. 

2 quarts of small silver-skin 

onions. 
Six small green peppers. 
I gallon of vinegar. 



I pint of rock salt. 

^ ounce of alum. 

I tablespoonful of mustard seed. 

I tablespoonful of whole clove. 

I tablespoonful of allspice. 



PRESERVES AND PICKLES. 



319 



Have a part of the stems kft on the cucumbers. Wash 
the cucumbers in cold water ; then lay them in a tub or 
jar, sprinkle the salt over them, and cover with ice water. 
Lay a large piece of ice on top of the cucumbers, and set 
away in a cold place for thirty-six hours. At the end of • 
that time take the cucumbers from the salt and water, and 
place in a stone jar, mixing the onions and peppers among 
them. 

Tie the whole spice in a thin muslin bag and after put- 
ting it, with the vinegar and alum, in a porcelain or granite- 
ware saucepan, set the pan on the fire. When the vinegar 
boils, pour it on the pickles, putting the spice on top. 
When the contents of the jar are cold, set away in a cool, 
dark place. The pickles will be ready for use in twenty- 
four hours. 

Sweet Cucumber Pickles. 



100 small green cucumbers. 

I gallon of vinegar. 

I pint of coarse salt. 

I pint of sugar. 

I stick of cinnamon. 

yi tablespoonf ul of white mustard 

seed. 
% tablespoonful of black mustard 

seed. 



^ teaspoonful of celery seed. 

^ tablespoonful of allspice. 

}4 oi a. nutmeg. 

A small piece of mace. 

I small green pepper. 

I gill of grated horseradish. 

I ounce of green ginger. 

I ounce of alum. 



Have the cucumbers picked with a part of the stems on. 
Wash them, and put in a tub or stone jar. Make a brine 
with the salt and six quarts of water. Pour this on the 
cucumbers while boiling hot. On the second and third 
days pour off the brine. Boil and skim it, and then pour 
it, while boiling hot, on the cucumbers. On the fourth day 
take the pickles from the brine. Put the alum in six quarts 
of boiling water and boil until the alum is dissolved. Pour 
this on the pickles and let them stand untilthe next day; 
then pour off the liquid, and, after scalding and skimming it, 
pour it on the pickles again. 



320 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Repeat this the sixth day. Should the cucumbers be not 
green enough on the sixth day, add a little more alum to 
the water. On the seventh day pour off the alum water 
and cover the pickles with clear boiling water. Let them 
stand in this water for twenty- four hours. At the end of 
this time take them from the water and place in the jars in 
which they are to be kept. Sprinkle the white mustard 
seed among the cucumbers. 

Put the vinegar in a porcelain-lined or granite-ware kettle 
and set on the fire. Add the cinnamon, broken small, the 
nutmeg, grated, and the other spice, as well as the sugar. 
Boil this for five minutes ; then take from the fire and 
partially cool. Pour this on the cucumbers. Now add to 
the contents of the jars the horse-radish, ginger root, and 
the green pepper, cut in pieces. Store the pickles in a 
cool, dark place. They will keep perfectly for two years if 
carefully made. 

The quantities of sugar and spice may be varied to suit 
one's taste. 

Tomato Pickle. 



12 large ripe tomatoes. 

3 onions of medium size. 

4 red peppers of medium size. 



2 tablespoonfuls of brown sugar. 
2 tablespoonfuls of salt. 
y^ pint of vinegar. 



Peel and slice the tomatoes. Chop the onions and pep- 
pers fine. Put all the ingredients in the preserving kettle 
and cook slowly for an hour and a half; then bottle and 
seal. 

Canadian Tomato Pickle. 



I peck of green tomatoes. 

6 large onions. 

% pint of salt. 

3 quarts of vinegar. 

I quart of water. 

1 pound of brown sugar. 

2 tablespoonfuls of curry-powder. 



2 tablespoonfuls of tumeric. 

I tablespoonful of ground cin- 
namon. 

I tablespoonful of ground clove. 

I tablespoonful of ground allspice. 

I tablespoonful of ground mus- 
tard. 



PRESERVES AND PICKLES. 



321 



Slice the tomatoes and onions and sprinkle the salt over 
them. Let them stand over night. In the morning drain 
off the liquid and put the vegetables in the preserving kettle 
with one quart each of water and vinegar. Let the mixture 
boil for five minutes, then drain well. To the drained 
mixture add the spice, sugar, and two quarts of vinegar. 
Put on the fire and boil for fifteen minutes, counting from 
the time it begins to bubble. Put into jars and seal. 

Governor's Sauce. 



I peck of green tomatoes. 

6 red or green peppers. 

^ pint of grated horseradish. 

Yz pint of salt. 

4 large onions. 

yz pint of brown sugar. 



I tablespoonful of ground clove. 
I tablespoonful of ground allspice. 
I teaspoonful of white pepper. 
Vinegar enough to cover the in- 
gredients, — about two quarts. 



Slice the tomatoes and sprinkle the salt over them. Let 
them stand over night. In the morning drain off the liquor 
and put the tomatoes in the preserving kettle. Add the 
seasonings and the peppers and onions, chopped fine. Pour 
over these ingredients enough vinegar to cover them well. 
Simmer the sauce for one hour and a half; then put up in 
jars and seal. 



Tomato Catsup. 



10 quarts of tomatoes. 
I quart of cider vinegar. 
I pound of brown sugar. 
3^ pound of salt. 
I ounce of pepper corns. 
I ounce of whole allspice. 



% ounce of whole cloves. 
yz ounce of whole ginger. 
8 ounces of ground mustard. 
3 small red peppers. 
3 cloves of garlic. 



Cut the tomatoes up and put them on the fire, in the 
preserving kettle. Add the garlic, and cook until the 
tomatoes are tender, — about forty-five minutes after they 
begin to boil. Rub them through a sieve fine enough tg 



21 



322 MISS PARLOA's YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

keep back the seeds. Put the strained mixture on the fire, 
in the preserving kettle. Add the sugar, salt, and pepper. 
Tie the whole spice and red peppers in a piece of muslin, 
and put them with the other ingredients. Mix the mustard 
smoothly with cold water, and stir into the mixture. Sim- 
mer the catsup for an hour and a half; then put up in 
bottles. 

The catsup must be stirred often to prevent burning. 

Canned Tomatoes. 

Put ripe tomatoes in a large pan and cover them with 
boiling water. Let them stand for four or five minutes ; 
then pour off the water and pare the tomatoes. Another 
way to reach the same result is to have a large kettle of 
boiling water on the fire, and put the tomatoes in a wire 
basket and plunge them into the boiUng water for a minute 
or two. 

After paring the tomatoes, cut them in small pieces. Put 
the sliced vegetable in the preserving kettle and heat slowly, 
stirring frequently. Let them boil for half an hour, or 
longer, after they begin to boil. Fill heated jars, and seal 
them. When cold, put in a cool, dark place. 

Spiced Currants. 



3 generous quarts of currants. 
I quart of sugar. 
% pint of vinegar. 



I tablespoonful of cloves. 
I tablespoonful of cinnamon. 



Measure the currants after they have been picked. Put 
all the ingredients into the preserving kettle and place on 
the stove. Stir the mixture frequently, and when it begins 
to boil skim carefully. Cook for half an hour, counting 
from the time it begins to boil. Put it up in small jars or 
tumblers. This is to be served with meat. 



PRESERVES AND PICKLES. 323 

Spiced Crab Apple. 



3 pounds of crab apple. 
1^ pounds of brown sugar. 
I teaspoonful of clove. 



I teaspoonful of pepper. 
I teaspoonful of salt. 



Cover the crab apples with boiling water and cook them 
until tender ; then rub them through a sieve, pressing all 
the liquid through also. Put the strained fruit into a pre- 
serving kettle, and add the sugar and seasoning. Cook 
gently for an hour and a half; then put in tumblers. When 
cold, cover with paper, the same as jelly. This is to be 
served with cold meat. 



Piccalilli. 



1 peck of green tomatoes. 

2 red peppers. 
12 onions. 

J4 pint of salt. 

}4 pint of grated horseradish. 



I tablespoonful of ground clove. 
I tablespoonful of ground allspice. 
I tablespoonful of ground cinna- 
mon. 
3 quarts of vinegar. 



Slice the tomatoes, peppers, and onions. Add the salt 
to the sliced vegetables, and mix well. Let this mixture 
stand over night. In the morning drain off the liquid ; then 
add the other ingredients, and, putting the mixture in a 
preserving kettle, cook for four hours, stirring often. Put 
the piccalilli in glass jars while hot, and it will keep for a 
vear or more. 



CHAPTER XXII. 
FOR THOSE WHO LIVE ON FARMS. 

LIFE on a farm has its bright and dark sides, as does life 
elsewhere. If all other things were equal, the pure air, 
abundance of sunshine, plentiful supply of good milk, butter, 
eggs, vegetables, and fruit should make the farmer's family 
the healthiest and happiest of any class in the land. But to 
counterbalance all these advantages there are the monotony 
of life and food, and often unwholesome water, where one 
would expect to find only the purest. The farmer's wife 
or daughter need not feel that she is buried ; that she is 
nobody ; that she has no mission in life ; that she is largely 
a drudge. Every honest man or woman, unless we exclude 
some of the very rich, must do some work. Now, this 
work, whether it be in the kitchen, shop, on the farm, in 
the counting-room, store, or any of the professions, may 
become drudgery or may be made in some degree a pleas- 
ure. Everything depends upon the home life. The mis- 
sion of the farmer's wife and daughter is one of great 
responsibihty. It means the physical, mental, and moral 
health of the entire family. I know of no class of women 
whose mission means more to humanity. 

Have the home sweet and healthful. Remember that 
pure air and sunshine in the house are the greatest purifiers. 
Do not exclude them. Impure water carries poison through 
the system more effectually than if it were in solid food. 
Water may look clear and sparkling, yet be filled with the 
germs of disease. A well never should be placed where 
the sewage from the house or barn can filter into it. If the 



FOR THOSE WHO LIVE ON FARMS. 325 

well be near the house, do not allow slops, suds, etc., to be 
thrown on the ground near it. If there be a drain to carry 
off the household slops and suds it should be laid as far as 
possible from the well and so constructed that there shall 
be no leakage. Whatever else you may lack, be firm in 
your efforts to have pure water, and pure air and sunshine 
in plenty in the house. 

Try to get as much variety in your food as possible, 
especially in the matter of the more substantial things, 
such as vegetables, meats, fish, soups, and breads. Try 
to educate your family and yourself up to the point where 
pies, cake, doughnuts, etc. need not be a daily dish on your 
table. Instead of these, have plenty of fresh stewed fruits 
when in season, and canned fruits at other periods. These 
fruits, with good bread, rolls, rusk, buns, etc., are healthful, 
and so simple that one does not tire of them. 

Learn to make simple puddings and other desserts for the 
noonday meal. If you follow these suggestions you will 
reap a rich reward in a healthy, clear-headed family. You 
must think for yourself, too. Keep up, as much as possible, 
with the outside world. Take a part of a day at least once 
a week to meet other people, and manage to get in a visit 
to town now and then. Read some bright new books. Do 
not devote all your spare moments to fancy work or the 
trimming of underclothing for yourself and your children ; 
you would be wasting your energies and making extra work 
for ironing day. Keep yourself, as much as is in your power, 
a bright, happy, thinking woman, and you will be an inspira- 
tion and tower of strength to your family and neighborhood. 
This, perhaps, seems a little like a sermon, but I mean every 
word of it. 

To Prepare Meat for Corning. 

All meats should be kept until free from animal heat 
before being put into brine. This will take at least forty- 
eight hours. Have the meat cut into suitable pieces and 



326 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

sprinkled lightly with fine salt and saltpetre in the propor- 
tion of one tablespoonful of saltpetre to four of salt. Lay 
the meat on a board that is slightly inclined, so that the 
surface blood which is drawn from the meat can run off. 
At the end of forty- eight or more hours put it in the brine. 
All meats should be completely covered with brine. If 
there be any tendency to float, lay pieces of board on the 
meat and put weights on these. Large stones will answer. 

Pickle for any Kind of Meat. 



12 gallons of water. 

3 gallons of salt. 

^ pound of saltpetre. 



3 pounds of brown sugar. 
2 ounces of potash or washing 
soda. 



Put all the ingredients in a large kettle and set on the fire. 
Stir frequently, and skim until clear ; then pour into a large 
tub, being careful not to turn in the sediment. Any kind of 
meat may be put into this pickle when cold. Beef should 
remain in the pickle from one to four or five weeks, as one 
may desire it slightly or thoroughly salted. 



Pickle for Tongues. 



6 gallons of water. 

9 quarts of salt. 

2 quarts of brown sugar. 



^ of a pound of saltpetre. 
2 ounces of washing soda. 



Prepare this pickle the same as directed for meat pickle. 
It will require ten or twelve days' time to pickle the tongues. 
If the flavor of juniper berries be liked, simmer half a pound 
in one quart of water for one hour ; then strain the liquid 
into the brine. 

Corned Shoulder of Mutton. 

Rub two tablespoonfuls of salt into a shoulder of mutton 
and let it stand for one day ; then put it into a pickle for 
five or six days. 



FOR THOSE WHO LIVE ON FARMS. 327 

To Cure Hams. 



8 hams of good size. 
8 quarts of fine salt. 
4 quarts of brown sugar. 
4 ounces of saltpetre. 



I ounce of washing soda. 
Yz ounce of ground mace. 
^ ounce of ground clove. 



Mix all the ingredients together and rub thoroughly into 
the hams. Pack the meat in a cask or tub having the 
skin side down. After three weeks change the top layer to 
the bottom. Let the hams lie in pickle for six or seven 
weeks ; then wash them, and wipe them dry, and finally 
hang them up to smoke. It will take from one to two 
weeks to smoke them. They are often smoked three 
months. 

Hams may be pickled in a brine such as is prepared for 
tongues. They should remain in it from four to six weeks, 
if they are to be kept through the year. 

If you have no smoke-house, six or eight hams can be 
smoked in a hogshead. Fasten a strong piece of board or 
joist across the top of the hogshead and suspend the hams 
from this. Have an old tin or iron pan in which to make the 
fire. For fuel use corn cobs, green hickory, or oak chips. 
About twenty corn cobs are enough to use, at a time. Have 
some ashes in the bottom of the pan. Put some live wood 
coals on this, and then pile on the corn cobs or chips, and 
place all under the hogshead. Cover the hogshead with 
several thicknesses of old quilts and carpets. This is to 
keep in the smoke and also to check the fire, which should 
just smoulder, making a great deal of smoke and little heat. 
The fire must be renewed every day. You must be careful 
not to get so much fire that the meat will be heated. 

When thoroughly cured, sew each ham in a thick cotton 
bag and hang all in a cool dry place, or pack them. 



328 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

To Cure Breakfast Bacon. 

Select the flank pieces and the thin end of the ribs of the 
pork, and treat the same as the hams. It is not necessary 
to pickle or smoke these thin pieces quite so long a time as 
the thick hams. 



Sausage Meat. 



15 pounds of pork. 

2 ounces of white pepper. 

4 ounces of salt. 



I ounce of sage. 

y^ an ounce of coriander. 



Have the pork about one third fat and two thirds lean. 
Chop it fine, and free from all bits of gristle. Mix the 
seasoning thoroughly with it. Fill cases with this, or pack 
in stone jars and keep in a cool, dry place. 

English Sausage Meat. 



16 pounds of pork. 

2 ounces of white pepper. 

6 ounces of salt. 

I ounce of sage. 



I ounce of summer savory. 
Yi ounce of thyme. 
I nutmeg. 



Prepare the sausage meat as directed in the preceding 
rule. 

To Cure Jowl and Chines. 

When a hog is being cut up, take out the backbone and 
remove the greater part of the fat ; then cut the chine in 
pieces about a foot long. 

Split open the head and take out the brains. Next cut 
off the snout. Cut the head in two, and cut off the upper 
bone to give the cheeks a good shape. Mix three tea- 
spoonfuls of saltpetre and one cupful of salt. Rub this 
over the jowl and chines. Now pack them closely in a 
small butter-tub, and place a piece of board and a heavy 
weight on top of them. Put two quarts of coarse salt in a 
large kettle, and, after setting the kettle on the stove, put 



FOR THOSE WHO LIVE ON FARMS. 329 

in seven quarts of hot water. When this begins to boil, 
skim it carefully, and set it away to cool. When this brine 
is cold, pour it over the meat. Keep in a cold place. The 
jowl and chines will be ready for use in about three weeks ; 
they will keep for a year. 

When all the meat has been used, the brine may be 
scalded, skimmed, and cooled, and used again for the same 
purpose. 

To Cook Jowl. 

Wash the jowl, put it in a stewpan and set on the fire. 
Cover it with cold water and heat it slowly to the boiling 
point. Skim, and set back where it will simmer for three 
hours. The water should not more than bubble. Serve 
with sliced and boiled turnips and boiled potatoes. 

Spinach or cabbage boiled in salted water, then drained 
and chopped, and seasoned with salt and butter, should be 
served with the jowl when possible. Later in the -season 
substitute beet and other greens for the spinach and cab- 
bage. In families where economy has to be practised it is 
customary to cook the cabbage or greens and the turnips 
with the jowl. No butter is then required for seasoning. 

Chine Pillau. 



3 gills of boiling water. 
^ pint of rice, scant measure, 
3 pounds of chine, fresh or salt. 
yi teaspoonful of powdered sage. 



I tablespoonful chopped onions. 
Yz tablespoonful of flour. 
% teaspoonful of pepper. 
I teaspoonful of salt. 



This is a cheap and savory dish. Wash and wipe the 
pieces of chine carefully, and lay them in a small dripping 
pan. Sprinkle the powdered sage over them and then cook 
for an hour in a moderate oven, being careful not to let the 
gravy burn. It is a good plan to set the pan on the grate, 
to prevent the bottom from becoming very hot. At the 
end of the hour take the meat from the oven and place it 



330 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

in a large stewpan. Into the pan in which the meat was 
cooked put the chopped onion. Set the pan on top of the 
stove and stir the contents until the onion begins to turn a 
golden brown ; then add the flour, and stir the mixture 
until it froths. Gradually add the boiling water, stirring all 
the time. Season with salt and pepper. Let this simmer 
for five minutes. 

Wash the rice in three waters, and put it in the stewpan 
with the chine. Strain the gravy over this. Cover the 
stewpan closely, and set it back where its contents will 
hardly simmer for an hour and a half. Serve very hot. 

Should the chine be very salt, be scant in the measure- 
ment of salt, but if it be fresh, heap the teaspoon as full as 
it will hold, and also rub two scant teaspoonfuls of salt 
into the chine when it is put in the oven. The onion may 
be omitted. 

How to Render Lard. 

The best lard is that made from the fat which lies around 
the kidneys, and is termed leaf lard. Remove all the skin, 
and cut the lard in small pieces. Put it in an iron pot, 
and heat slowly, stirring it frequently. Cook it in this 
manner until the pieces of fat look shrivelled and straw- 
colored. On no account let it get so hot that it will smoke. 
Draw the pot back where the lard will partially cool ; then 
strain it through a piece of cheese-cloth. Tin pails are 
satisfactory vessels in which to keep lard. Do not put on 
the covers until the lard is cold. Keep in a cool, dry 
place. 

Hogs' Head Cheese. 

Have the head split, scraped, and thoroughly cleaned. 
Put it in a stewpan, with enough boiling water to cover it 
generously, and simmer for five hours, skimming the liquid 



FOR THOSE WHO LIVE ON FARMS. 33 1 

several times during the first hour. Place the head on a 
platter and remove the bones. When the meat is cold, 
chop it fine, and season each solid quart with two table- 
spoonfuls of salt, a level teaspoonful of pepper, and a tea- 
spoonful of powdered and sifted sage. Add to this mixture 
half a pint of the water in which the head was boiled. Cook 
the mixture slowly for half an hour, and then turn into 
deep earthen dishes. Place a plate with a weight on top of 
each dish, and put away in a cool place. This cheese will 
cut in smooth slices. 

If spice and other kinds of herbs be liked, they may be 
added with the other seasonings. 

Should a part of the cheese be kept so long that there is 
danger of its spoiling, heat it slowly to the boiling point ; 
then let it simmer for half an hour, and cool as before. 



Scrapple. 



^ of a pig's head 
2 quarts of water. 
y^. pint of corn meal, — generous 
measure, 



2 teaspoonfuls of salt. 
Yi teaspoonful of pepper. 
2 leaves of sage. 



Clean the pig's head and put it in a stewpan with the hot 
water. Let it simmer for three hours ; then take it from 
the fire and cool it. When cold, remove the bones and 
chop the meat fine. Add this and the seasonings to the 
liquor in which it was boiled, and return to the fire. When 
the contents of the stewpan begin to boil, sprinkle in the 
meal, stirring all the time. Cook for two hours, stirring 
frequently. Rinse a deep bread pan in cold water, and 
pour the hot mixture into it. Set away in a cold place. 

When the scrapple is perfectly cold, cut it into slices 
about half an inch thick, and after rolling these in flour, or 
breading them, fry until brown. 



332 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

Tripe. 

Lay the tripe on a table and scrape it with a broad- 
bladed knife ; then wash it thoroughly in several waters. 
Soak it for five or six days in salt and water, changing the 
water every other day, and using a quart of salt to three 
gallons of water. At the end of this time boil it gently for 
ten hours, turning it frequently, that it may not stick to the 
bottom of the boiler and burn. When the tripe has been 
boiling for eight hours, add half a pint of salt. 

The boiled tripe may be used plain, with a butter sauce, 
or it may be broiled, fried in batter, soused, etc. When 
soused it will keep for several weeks. 



Soused Tripe. 



8 pounds of boiled tripe. 
3 pints of vinegar. 
I stick of cinnamon. 



6 whole cloves. 

I small blade of mace. 



Cut the tripe in pieces and place it in a stone pot. Heat 
the vinegar and spice to the boiling point and pour over 
the tripe. Set away in a cool place and it will keep for 
several weeks. It will be ready for use in twelve hours, 
and it may be broiled or fried. 

Pigs' Feet. 

Pigs' feet should be treated in every particular the same 
as tripe. After being boiled they may, when cold, be 
broiled, or be fried in batter or crumbs. They may be 
soused, and then be broiled or fried. 

To Preserve Rennet. 

Rennet is the lining membrane of one of the stomachs of 
the calf. Select the stomach of a healthy calf, and empty it. 



FOR THOSE WHO LIVE ON FARMS. 333 

Remove the outer skin and the fat. Wipe the rennet, and 
then salt it well, using about half a pint of salt, and putting 
the greater part of it in the sack. Let the rennet lie on a 
dish for five or six hours, then stretch it on a forked stick. 
Cover it with netting, to protect it from flies, and hang it 
up in a cool, dry place. When the rennet is dry (which 
will be in about a week) put it in a paper bag or a glass 
jar, and keep it in a cool, dry place. This rennet may be 
used in making cheese or rennet wine. 

Rennet Wine. 

Wash the rennet, and cut it into small pieces. Put this 
in a wide- mouthed bottle, with one quart of sherry. This 
will be ready for use in four or five days. Rennet wine is 
used with fresh milk to make delicate desserts, such as slip, 
rennet custard, etc. 

When the quart of wine has been used, a second quart 
may be poured on the rennet in the bottle. 

If salted rennet be used, soak it for several hours in cold 
water to remove the salt. 



Essence of Rennet. 

Clean a rennet and cut it into small bits. Put these in 
a glass jar with three ounces of salt. Work the salt into 
the rennet with a spoon. Now cover the jar, and put in 
a cool place for six weeks. At the end of this time add 
a gill of rum and a pint of water. Let this stand for two 
days ; then filter through paper, and bottle for use. This 
essence may be employed the same as rennet wine, using 
with it any flavor one wishes. 



334 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

THE DAIRY. 

The suggestions given for the work in the dairy are for 
the guidance of the woman who has only the simplest 
appliances to work with, and only a small amount of milk 
or cream to handle. In the large dairies, with such modern 
apparatus as the separator, and other fine machinery, the 
process of making butter differs from that outlined in this 
chapter. The essentials are always the same, whether it be 
in the smallest and most primitive dairy, or in the largest 
and most modern. There must be perfect cleanliness and 
freedom from odors. Wood floors and racks on shelves 
and in refrigerators must be watched carefully ; for wood 
absorbs the moisture from milk and water, and will taint 
milk, butter, and cheese very quickly. The greatest care is 
therefore needed, that all the woodwork shall be washed 
clean, and dried thoroughly. Guard against letting any of 
the wood about the dairy become milk- or water-soaked. 

Care of Milk and Cream. 

Milk and all the products of milk require the most care- 
ful attention. Thorough cleanliness and good ventilation 
are absolutely necessary. Milk, butter, and cream quickly 
absorb any odors that there may be near by. If possible, 
one room or pantry should be kept exclusively for the 
dairy products. If this be impossible keep one side of 
the room — that nearest the window — for this purpose. 
Never put strong-odored or warm food in this room. Keep 
the room scrupulously clean and dry. Every utensil that 
is used about milk in any form must be first washed in 
cold water, then in hot suds, and finally scalded in clear, 
boiling water. Wipe perfectly dry with towels that are 
kept for this purpose, and that are washed and scalded 
every day. Now put the utensils out in the sun. If the 
day be wet, put them by an open window to air. The 



FOR THOSE WHO LIVE ON FARMS. 335 

milk, cream, butter, etc., that come from such a dairy can- 
not fail to be of a superior quality. 

When the milk is brought in, pour it through a fine 
strainer into the pans, and then set the pans in place. If 
at any time it be necessary to mix the night and morning 
milk, cool the fresh milk before it is added to the older 
milk. Adding warm milk to cold milk will cause the whole 
mass to spoil quickly. 

When the cream is being collected for butter making, it 
must not be kept so long that it becomes very sour, or in 
winter until it becomes bitter. Have a stone jar in which 
the cream can be kept. In summer keep it in the coldest 
place you have, but in winter it must be kept where it will 
become slightly sour, without becoming bitter. Old butter- 
makers advise skimming the cream as free as possible from 
milk. Every time a batch of cream is added to that in the 
jar, stir the contents of the jar, in order to mix thoroughly 
the new and old cream. 

The cream should not be allowed to remain on the milk 
until sour. Skim it while both milk and cream are sweet. 

Butter Making. 

The quality of the butter will depend largely upon the 
care of the milk and cream. It will help the butter-maker 
to use a thermometer. One suitable for dairy work can be 
purchased for twenty-five cents at any store where they 
keep such goods, or where they keep dairy supplies. The 
cream should be slightly sour, and when put into the churn 
the temperature should be from 58° to 60°. In cold 
weather place the cream jar in a pan of hot water, and stir 
frequently until the cream is raised to the desired tempera- 
ture ; in hot weather use ice water, if necessary. 

In churning it is important that the stroke shall be slow 
and steady. Rapid churning causes the cream to froth, 
and spoils the texture of the butter. It should take at 



336 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

least from thirty to forty minutes^ churning to bring the 
butter. 

As soon as the butter begins to form into small masses, 
draw off the buttermilk and pour cold water into the churn. 
After a few strokes of the dasher, draw off the water and 
pour in fresh cold water, adding a teaspoonful of salt to 
every quart of water. Work the butter for a few minutes, 
then draw off the water. Put the butter in a wooden bowl 
and salt it, allowing one ounce of salt to each pound of 
butter. Many butter-makers allow four extra ounces of 
salt to every ten pounds of butter. If the butter is to be 
packed for future use, this is necessary. 

Let the salted butter stand in the bowl over night. In 
the morning work all the buttermilk and water out of the 
butter, and then shape into any form you please. Wet 
pieces of thin cotton in salt and water, and wrap the rolls 
in them. 

The less milk there is in the cream, the sooner the butter 
will come. The amount of butter to a quart of cream will 
depend upon the quality of the cream. A quart of thick 
cream will give a pound of butter, whereas it may take 
more than two quarts of thin cream to produce the same 
amount. 

If only one cow be kept for family use, a small stone 
churn will be found valuable for churning the small quan- 
tities of cream which one will have. Of course, a patent 
churn is better for large quantities, as the work can be done 
more easily with it. 

Too much working makes the butter tough and waxy. 
Work it only enough to free it from water and buttermilk. 
Never have the hands touch the butter ; use wooden paddles 
for the work. 

If the cream be very cold it will froth, and the butter will 
be a long time in coming. When it does come, it will be 
light and spongy, instead of being smooth and firm. Most 
winter butter lacks color. If you wish to impart a yellow 



FOR THOSE WHO LIVE ON FARMS. 337 

tinge to it, grate the dark orange part of the carrot, and 
simmer it m sweet milk for twenty minutes. Strain the 
milk, and, when cool, add to the cream in the churn. Use 
half a pint of grated carrot and a pint of milk for every 
eight quarts of cream. 

Cottage Cheese. 

Put a pan of thick sour milk over a stewpan of hot 
water, and heat almost to the boiling point. When the pan 
has been over the water for about six minutes, turn the 
thick milk gently with a large spoon, getting the hot part 
on top. When the whey becomes so hot that it cannot be 
touched by the finger, turn the mass into a strainer and let 
the whey drain off. When the curd is free from whey, 
season it with salt and butter, allowing one teaspoonful of 
salt and one tablespoonful of butter to every four quarts of 
sour milk. A gill of thick, sweet cream, also, may be stirred 
into the curd. Press the cheese into a bowl, or shape it 
into balls. This cheese is good only while it is fresh. 

Be careful not to have the milk too sour, or to get the 
curd too hot. 



22 



CHAPTER XXIII. 
CARE OF THE SICK. 

IN every household the time comes when a knowledge of 
the proper care of the sick is desirable. One should 
not wait for the necessity to arise before acquiring this 
knowledge. The physician will do his part, but the care 
and food are as important as are his medicines. In a book 
of this kind there is not space completely to cover the sub- 
ject of preparation of food for the sick, much less the care 
of the sick. It is hoped, however, that the simple in- 
structions given in this chapter may help the inexperi- 
enced to bring comfort and health to their suffering ones. 
In the body of the book there will be found directions for 
preparing many kinds of simple dishes that are suitable for 
the invalid, such as simple soups, broiled meat, fish, and 
birds, vegetables, toasts, jellies, and simple desserts. 

All the food prepared for the sick should be of the best 
quality, and cooked in the simplest and most careful man- 
ner. The service should be the daintiest the house affords. 
Let the tray be covered with a clean, well-ironed napkin, 
and the china, glass, and silver be clean and bright. Tea, 
coffee, or chocolate should be taken to the sick-room in a 
small pot and poured in the presence of the patient. Have 
the cream and sugar in a small pitcher and bowl. Serve 
broth or soup in a dainty bouillon cup or a pretty little bowl. 
Put cream or milk toast in a small dish and serve small 
portions on a pretty plate. Serve dry toast in a fresh nap- 
kin, and butter portions as the patient requires. Broiled 
meat or fish should be put on a warm plate, and another 



CARE OF THE SICK. 339 

warm plate be placed over this to keep the food hot while 
it is being carried to the patient's room. 

A patient should not have to wait for food beyond the 
regular time. No one, unless he has been ill, can under- 
stand the terrible sinking feeling that comes to a weak 
patient if the time for his taking food is forgotten. 

In caring for the sick an infinite amount of patience, 
sympathy, and cheerfulness is required. If one be harsh or 
neglectful, even once, it may mean a whole life of regret. 

Cleanliness and Ventilation. 

The bedding, the clothes of the patient, and the rooms 
must be kept absolutely sweet and clean. If it be impossi- 
ble to sweep the room, all dust may be wiped from the floor 
with a dry cloth. If the room be carpeted, — which is a pity 
when one is sick, — brush it with a soft hair brush, and then 
wipe the carpet with a cloth wrung out of warm water. If 
possible, ventilate the room two or three times a day by 
having the wind sweep through it. Protect the patient by 
extra blankets, and then spread a sheet or blanket over the 
head board, letting it come down over the head and shoul- 
ders of the patient. One cannot realize what a restful tonic 
this pure air is for the patient. 

Bathing. 

Few things are more refreshing to a sick person than a 
sponge bath. It should be given morning and night. A 
little alcohol in the water is invigorating, and prevents the 
patient from taking cold. Have but little water in the 
sponge, and begin with the face and neck. Keep the body 
covered, and wash only a small part at one time. Wipe 
with a soft towel. At night the patient may be rubbed with 
alcohol, using the hand. This rubbing often insures a good ^ 
night's rest. Rubbing is beneficial at almost any time. 



340 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

Turpentine Applications. 

Refined turpentine is often very valuable in the sick-room. 
In cases of inflammation of the bowels, kidneys, or bladder, 
and of congestion of the lungs, a turpentine application often 
will relieve the most intense pain. Indeed, this remedy is 
good and safe for almost any pain that can be reached by 
external applications. 

There are two ways of using the applications. When the 
turpentine is to remain on the patient for a long time, mix 
it with lard, and spread the mixture on flannel. Lay this 
on the seat of pain. It may be kept on for several hours. 
Use a tablespoonful of spirits of turpentine to half a pint of 
lard. If the pain be intense, two or three tablespoonfuls of 
turpentine may be used. 

Another method is to wring flannel out of hot water, 
sprinkle the turpentine on this, and lay the flannel on the 
seat of pain. Cover with a dry flannel, and upon this lay 
a soft towel. Use a teaspoonful of turpentine for a sur- 
face about a foot square. In case of great pain even more 
turpentine may be required. Few patients can endure this 
hot application more than twenty minutes or half an hour. 
When the flannel is removed cover the inflamed part with 
a piece of soft linen. 

If the pain come from gas in the stomach or bowels, 
put eight or ten drops of spirits of turpentine on a lump of 
sugar and let the patient eat this. Turpentine is very good 
to give in this way whenever there is bloating of the bowels 
from an accumulation of gas. 

To Relieve Neuralgia. 

When one is suffering from neuralgia in the head, put him 
in a warm bed. Make a brick very hot and cover it with 
several thicknesses of flannel. Fold a coarse, thick cloth 
and place it on the pillow. Lay the brick on this and wet 



CARE OF THE SICK. 341 

thoroughly with rum. Rest the most painful part of the 
head or face on the brick, and throw a blanket over the 
patient, covering the head. Keep covered in this way until 
the pain ceases. When the blanket is removed, wipe the 
moisture from the head, face, and neck; then bathe in 
alcohol or rum, to prevent taking cold. 

Another remedy is to make salt very hot by stirring it 
over the fire in a frying-pan ; then pour it into a bag, which 
should be securely tied. Have the patient lie down, and 
cover him well. Place the bag of hot salt on that part of 
the head or face where the pain is located. The salt will 
retain the heat a long time. This method is much easier 
than the first, but it will not relieve one so quickly nor so 
thoroughly. 

To Keep Cracked Ice. 

It often happens that a patient is obliged to take a great 
deal of cracked ice. In such a case make a bag of rather 
thin flannel, and cut a small hole in the bottom. Have a 
long tape run in the hem at the top. Hang this bag in a 
large pitcher, fastening it at the top with the tape. Fill 
the bag with cracked ice, and cover the pitcher with several 
thicknesses of flannel. 



To Break Ice in a Sick Room. 

Place the piece of ice on a napkin and press a large pin 
or needle firmly into it. It will break off" smoothly at this 
point. If ice be scarce, it is best to put it in the flannel 
bag in one large piece and chip it off" as required. 

Mutton Broth. 



I pound of the scraggy end of the 

neck of mutton. 
i^ pints of cold water. 



I tablespoonful of barley. 
^ teaspoonful of salt. 



342 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

See that the meat is perfectly sweet. Cut off all the fat ; 
then cut the lean meat in pieces and put it in a stewpan 
with the bones and cold water. Place the stewpan on the 
stove ; and when the broth begins to boil, skim it and set 
back where it will just bubble. Put the barley in another 
stewpan with a pint of cold water, and place on the fire. 
Cook for one hour ; then pour off the water, and, after put- 
ting the barley with the broth, cook for three hours longer. 
Add the salt, and strain the broth ; or, if the patient can 
bear it, remove the bones and serve the meat and barley in 
the broth. 

Chicken Broth, 

yi oi z. fowl. 

I quart of water. 

yi teaspoonf ul of salt. 

Free the fowl from fat and skin, and cut in small pieces, 
breaking the bones. Wash the meat, and, putting it in a 
stewpan with the cold water, place it on the fire. When 
the broth begins to boil, skim it carefully. Draw the stew- 
pan back to a cooler part of the range, where the broth will 
only bubble for three hours. Add the salt, and strain. 

A tablespoonful of rice, tapioca, or sago may be cooked 
in this broth, if it be thought best for the patient. 

Clam Broth. 

Get a dozen clams in the shell, and wash them in several 
waters ; then soak them for an hour in a pan of cold water. 
On taking them from the water, put them in a stewpan and 
set on the fire. Add a gill of water, and, covering the stew- 
pan, cook for fifteen minutes. Pour the liquor through 
a fine strainer. Taste to see if salt enough. It may be too 
salt ; in which case add a little boiling water to the broth. 



CARE OF THE SICK. 343 

Mutton Custard. 

1 quart of milk. j i tablespoonf ul of flour. 

2 ounces of mutton suet. % teaspoonful of salt. 
Stick of cinnamon, 5 inches long. ) 

The suet must be from the kidneys ; sweet, and free from 
all tough membrane. Shred it very fine, and put it in the 
double-boiler with the cinnamon and milk ; reserving, how- 
ever, one gill of the milk. Cook for one hour, then strain. 
Return the strained liquid to the double- boiler, and place 
on the fire. Mix the flour and cold milk to a smooth paste, 
and stir into the hot mixture. Add the salt, and cook for 
ten minutes. Give the patient as much of this as he will 
willingly take ; say, half a pint every four or five hours. 
Keep the patient warm and quiet. This is a particularly 
good remedy in severe cases of bowel and stomach trouble, 
being nourishing and soothing. 

Oysters Roasted in the Shell. 

Get ten or a dozen good oysters in the .shell. Wash the 
shells, and place them in an old baking-pan. Put the pan 
into a hot oven, keeping it there until the shells begin to 
open. Remove the upper shells and place the under ones, 
containing the oysters, on a large plate. Serve at once. 
The oysters should be seasoned with butter, salt, and 
pepper. 

Steamed Oysters. 

Put eight or ten large oysters in a little fancy dish or 
saucer, and place in the steamer. Cook for about five 
minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and butter, and serve at 
once with hot toast. 

Oyster Roast. 

Have a slice of crisp toast in a little dish. Put half a 
pint of oysters in a saucepan, and set on the fire. When 



344 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

they boil, skim them, and season with salt, pepper, and 
butter. Pour the oysters and Uquor on the toast and serve 
at once. 

Beef Tea. 

Put in a large-mouthed bottle one pound of beef, free of 
fat, and chopped fine. Add to it half a pint of cold water, 
and let the mixture stand for an hour. At the end of that 
time place the bottle in a saucepan of cold water. Place 
the pan on the fire, and heat the water slowly almost to the 
boiling point, without letting it boil. Cook the beef for two 
hours ; then strain, and season with salt. 

The thick sediment which falls to the bottom when the 
tea has stood awhile is the most nutritious part, yet many 
people serve only the clear and poorer part to the patient. 
It is to keep this sediment (the albuminoids) in a soft, 
digestible condition, that care is taken not to let the water 
which surrounds the bottle boil. Great heat hardens the 
albuminoids. 

If a patient take a great deal of beef tea, the flavor may 
be changed occasionally by putting a piece of stick cinna- 
mon about an inch square into the bottle with the meat and 
water. 

Beef Tea, No. 2. 

Put into a bowl a pound of beef, free of fat, and chopped 
fine. Add half a pint of cold water, and stir well. Place 
the bowl in the refrigerator for four hours. When the tea 
is to be given to the patient, strain into a saucepan the 
quantity required. Season it with salt, and place the sauce- 
pan on the fire. Stir constantly until the tea becomes hot, 
but do not let it boil. 

This tea has a peculiarly bright flavor, and affords a 
pleasant change from that made by long steeping in hot 
water. 



CARE OF THE SICK. 345 

Beef Juice. 

Use a piece of round or flank steak about an inch thick. 
Broil it for eight minutes ; then put it on a warm plate and, 
after cutting it in small pieces, press in the lemon squeezer. 
Season with a little salt. This may be fed to the patient ; 
or a little bread may be soaked in it ; or add a little hot 
water, and you have beef tea. 

Round Steak. 

When you cannot get a tender, juicy steak, or when the 
patient's power of mastication is not good, a nutritious and 
digestible steak can be prepared from the round of beef. 
Lay a thin slice of round steak on a board. Scrape one 
surface with a sharp knife until there is nothing left on that 
side but the tough fibres ; then turn the meat over, and 
scrape the other side in like manner. When the tender 
meat is scraped off, put it in a small dish. Press this into 
a square, having it about half an inch thick. Rub the bars 
of a double-broiler with a little butter, and lay the steak 
between them. Broil over clear coals for five minutes ; 
then place on a warm dish, spread a little butter on the 
steak, season with salt, and serve at once. 

Raw Beef Sandwiches. 

Scrape some beef in the manner described for preparing 
round steak. Season it generously with salt. After cutting 
four slices of stale bread as thin as a wafer, spread the beef 
on two of the slices, and lay the other slices on top, press- 
ing them down carefully. Cut them into pieces about an 
inch square. Arrange these tastefully on a fringed napkin 
or in a pretty little dish. 



346 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 



Flour Gruel. 

I pint of milk 

I tablespoonf ul of flour. 

^ teaspoonful of salt. 

After reserving half a gill of the milk, put the remainder 
in the double-boiler and set on the fire. Mix the flour with 
the cold milk, and stir into the boiling milk. Cook for 
half an hour. Add the salt ; then strain and serve. 

Oatmeal Gruel. 

1 quart of water. 

2 tablespoonfuls of oatmeal. 
^ teaspoonful of salt. 

Have the water boiling in a stewpan. Stir rapidly, and 
sprinkle the oatmeal into it, stirring all the while. Cover, 
and set back where it will cook gently for two hours. At 
the end of that time add the salt, and serve. This gruel 
may be strained or not, as may be best for the patient. A 
part of the gruel may be poured into a cup and a few spoon- 
fuls of milk or cream be added to it. 

If the gruel be liked thick, use four tablespoonfuls of oat- 
meal. 

Indian Meal Gruel. 



T quart of boiling water. 

3 tablespoonfuls of Indian meal. 

I tablespoonful of flour. 



I gill of cold water. 
^ teaspoonful of salt. 



Put the boiling water in a saucepan and set on the fire. 
Mix the flour and meal with the cold water, and stir into 
the boiling water. Boil gently for two hours. Add the 
salt, and strain ; then serve. A little cream may be added 
to the gruel when it is served. 



CARE OF THE SICK. 347 

Arrowroot Gruel. 

yi pint of milk. 

I teaspoonful of arrowroot. 

Yi saltspoonful of salt. 

Reserve four tablespoonfuls of milk and put the remainder 
on to boil. Mix the arrowroot with the cold milk, and stir 
into the boiling milk. Add the salt, and cook for ten 
minutes. 

Cracker Gruel. 

2 tablespoonfuls cracker crumbs. [ i gill of boiling water. 
I gill of milk. ! % teaspoonful of salt. 

Put the cracker crumbs in a saucepan and pour the boil- 
ing water upon them, stirring all the time. Place the sauce- 
pan on the fire and stir the mixture until it boils. Add the 
milk and salt, and continue stirring until the gruel boils 
again. Serve at once. 

For some tastes half a teaspoonful of butter is an agree- 
able addition. 

Milk Punch. 

% pint of milk. 

I heaped tablespoonful of sugar. 

I tablespoonful of rum. 

Mix these ingredients and serve at once ; or give the 
punch a froth by pouring the mixture from one bowl to 
another, holding the bowl high as the liquid is poured 
from it. 

Egg Tea. 

I gill of hot water or milk. 

I tablespoonful of powdered sugar. 

I egg. 

Beat the white of the &%g to a stiff dry froth, and beat 
the sugar into it. Next add the yolk of the egg, and beat 



348 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

well. Pour the hot milk or water on this, and serve. If 
you choose, a little nutmeg or wine may be added to the 
mixture. 

Bggnog. 

Eggnog is made the same as egg tea, using cold milk 
and a tablespoonful of brandy, wine, or rum. 



Rice "Water. 

Vz gill of rice. 

i^ pints of cold water. 

Yz teaspoonful of salt. 

Wash the rice and put with the water in a saucepan. 
Place on the fire and cook for thirty-five minutes. Strain 
the liquid, and season with the salt. 

Half water and half milk may be used in this drink, if 
you prefer. 

Apple Water. 

Bake three tart apples in rather a quick oven until they 
are tender. Sprinkle one tablespoonful of sugar over them, 
and return to the oven until the sugar becomes browned. 
Crush the apples, and pour a pint of boiling water upon 
them. Let them stand for fifty minutes ; then strain and 
cool the water. 

Barley Water. 

%, gill of barley, 
i^ pints of water. 
"% teaspoonful of salt. 

Wash the barley, and put it on the fire in a stewpan, 
with one pint of cold water. Cook for one hour. Pour off 
the water and rinse the barley. Add the pint and a half of 
cold water, and cook for two hours longer. Season with the 



CARE OF THE SICK. 349 

salt, and strain. If lemon be good for the patient, add a 
tablespoonful of juice to the strained liquid, and sweeten 
with two lumps of sugar. 

Crust Coffee. 

Dry some crusts of bread in the oven ; then toast them 
until dark brown. Break up these crusts, and measure out 
half a pint. Put these in a bowl, and pour a pint and a 
half of boiling water upon them. Cover the bowl for ten 
minutes, then strain the coffee. This may be served hot or 
cold. 

Wine Whey. 

Put half a pint of sweet milk into a double-boiler, and 
when it boils add a gill of sherry. Stir well, and let it cook 
until the curd and whey separate. If the wine be quite 
sour, the milk will separate at once ; sometimes it is so 
sweet that an extra quantity is required to curdle the milk. 
If there be any objection to the use of more wine in a case 
like this, add a teaspoonful of vinegar. Pour the liquid 
through a fine strainer. 

Moss Lemonade. 



I tablespoonful of sea-moss farina. 
I quart of boiling water. 
3 tablespoonfuls of sugar. 



3 lemons. 

^Q teaspoonful of salt. 



Put the farina in a bowl ot pitcher, and pour the boiling 
water on it. Stir well, and steep for an hour. Add the 
salt, sugar, and lemon, and strain. This is an excellent 
drink when a cold has settled on the lungs. Serve hot or 
cold. 

Should there be any reason why the patient cannot take 
lemon, use some other flavor. 



3 so MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 



Restorative Jelly. 



]/^ box of gelatine. 

I tablespoonf ul of granulated gum 

arable. 
3 tablespoonfuls of sugar. 



2 tablespoonfuls of lemon juice. 

2 cloves. 

Yz pint of port. 



Put all the ingredients in a bowl for two hours. At the 
end of that time place the bowl in a saucepan of boiling 
water, and cook, stirring frequently, until all the ingredients 
are dissolved. Strain, and set away to harden. The bowl 
must be kept covered all the time the jelly is soaking and 
cooking. 

This jelly is to be used when the patient finds it difficult 
to swallow either liquid or solid food. A small piece of it, 
placed in the mouth, melts slowly, and is swallowed un- 
consciously. The sugar may be omitted, and a gill of port 
and a gill of beef juice be used; the beef juice to be added 
when the jelly is taken from the fire. Other stimulants may 
be substituted for port. 

Senna Prunes. 



24 prunes. 

2 tablespoonfuls of senna leaves. 

I pint of boiling water. 

Steep the senna in the water, where it will keep hot for 
two hours ; then strain the water. Wash the stewpan, and 
put into it the senna water and the prunes, well washed. 
Cover, and place the stewpan on a part of the range where 
the contents will just simmer. Cook until the prunes have 
absorbed all the water ; then put them in a jar, and use as 
required. This is a mild and pleasant remedy for constipa- 
tion. The prunes are delicious, and will keep for months. 
They are convenient to take when travelling. 



CARE OF THE SICK. 3|I 

A Gargle for a Sore Throat. 

Put into a goblet of cold water one teaspoonful of tinc- 
ture of muriate of iron, and one heaped teaspoonful of 
chlorate of potash. Gargle the throat with this. It will do 
no harm if a small quantity of the liquid be unintentionally 
swallowed. 

Camphorated Oil. 

Put into a large botde four ounces of olive oil and four 
of spirits of camphor, and shake well. When there is pain 
in the chest or lungs rub with the camphorated oil. This 
is excellent to use in case of sprains or bruises. 

•» 

For a Cold in the Head. 

Mix together in a large bottle four ounces of ammonia 
and four of camphor. A cologne bottle with a glass stop- 
per is the best for this preparation. When there are symp- 
toms of a cold in the head inhale this mixture frequently. 

Lime Water. 

Put about four ounces of quicklime in a bowl, and pour 
upon it two quarts of cold water. Stir the mixture well, 
and cover. Let this stand for four or five hours. At the 
end of that time pour off the clear liquid and bottle it. 
Throw away the sediment. 



r 



CHAPTER XXIV. 
WHEN CLEANING HOUSE. 

THE season of house- cleaning is greeted with different 
degrees of welcome, or horror, by the several mem- 
bers of the family. Some people appear to think there 
is no good reason for this annual thorough cleaning of 
the house ; others, however, are really glad when the 
time comes round again, because it furnishes an oppor- 
tunity to take account of stock, as it were, discarding the 
worthless, and renewing wherever it is necessary. When 
the cleaning is finished, pride and content come with the 
feeling that rest and comfort can be taken with a clear 
conscience in a house that one knows is in good condition 
from top to bottom. 

System Absolutely Necessary. 

Every house certainly should have a thorough cleaning 
every year, that there may be a check put upon the accu- 
mulation of dust or dirt which might breed disease, even if 
no other reason influenced the housekeeper. This yearly 
cleaning need not be a season of discomfort to the family. 
If possible, a little extra help should be engaged ; but even 
if this be out of the question, the work can be done in such 
a way that every one shall not be worn out by the time the 
cleaning is finished. Too much should not be attempted 
at once. If one room be taken at a time, and be finished 
before work is begun in another, the whole house can be 
cleaned without any great difficulty. It is always wise, if 



WHEN CLEANING HOUSE. 353 

possible, to wait until the necessity for furnace or stove 
fires is past. If the house be heated by stoves, and there 
be some rooms in which a fire is needed only in the coldest 
weather, such rooms may be cleaned first, the stoves in the 
other rooms being removed later. There should be a per- 
fect system in doing this work. Housekeepers differ in 
regard to the part of the house where the cleaning should 
begin, some starting with the attic and others with the 
cellar. Since the furnace must be cleaned some time, and 
dust may escape through the pipes into the various rooms 
above, it seems to me that the proper place to begin is 
down- stairs. 

Cleaning the Cellar. 

In no part of the house is it so important that the clean- 
ing be thoroughly done as in the cellar. Not a corner 
should be slighted. Begin with the furnace. Have the 
registers closed in every room. Remove all the cinders 
and ashes, and clean out all the flues and pipes. Many 
housekeepers have the pipes removed, but the smoke-pipe is 
really the only one that it is necessary to take down. This 
pipe is Hable to rust, because of the moisture it gathers 
from the chimney ; nevertheless, if there be no way of heat- 
ing and drying the house during a cold, damp period in sum- 
mer except by building a fire in the furnace, it would be 
cheaper to renew this smoke-pipe every few years than run 
the risk of having the family made ill from receiving a chill. 
While the men are in the house to clean the furnace, it 
would be economy to have them clean the flues in the range^ 
and also the chimneys. Open the cellar windows to bring 
everything into the light. Have the coal bins cleaned. 
Brush everything free from dust. Now sweep the ceiling 
and walls as well as the floor. Brush the walls once more. 
Wash the windows and any closets, shelves, or tables there 
may be in the cellar. 

23 



354 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Do not Omit "Whitewashing. 

Now have the walls whitewashed. Before the various 
articles stored in the cellar are put back in place, brush 
them again. Sweep the floor once more. Paint with black 
enamel varnish the iron parts of the furnace, and also any 
iron pipes that may be exposed to moisture. An excellent 
whitewash may be made by putting eight quarts of un- 
slaked lime into a large tub, and pouring over it enough 
boiling water to make a paste. Stir well, and cover until 
cold, stirring occasionally, that the wash may be smooth. 
Dissolve one quart of salt in two quarts of hot water. Dis- 
solve also half an ounce of indigo in about a pint of hot 
water. Add these substances to the slaked and cooled 
lime. Now beat well, and add enough cold water to make 
the mixture the consistency of thin cream. The wash will 
then be ready to use. 

A tub of charcoal and another of lime are excellent 
things to keep in the cellar. They make it sweeter and 
dryer, and the charcoal is, of course, very convenient to 
have on hand for fuel. The unslaked lime should be 
put in a tub or barrel, with space for it to expand to twice 
its bulk. It slakes in the air and expands rapidly during 
the process. 

From Cellar to Attic. 

After the cellar is cleaned, the next move is to begin at 
the top of the house and work down. It is not safe in these 
days, when houses are kept almost as warm in winter as 
they become in summer, to take it for granted that anything 
is perfectly free from carpet-bugs, moths, and other insects. 
Every article in the storeroom should be examined, brushed, 
and shaken. All the boxes, drawers, and closets should be 
brushed, wiped, and lined with new paper. As a measure 
of safety all receptacles should be saturated with naphtha 



WHEN CLEANING HOUSE. 355 

just before their contents are replaced. Woollen goods, 
furs, and feathers should be wet with naphtha and folded in 
old cotton or linen sheets. They will be perfectly safe for 
a year or more, provided they have been thoroughly shaken 
and brushed, so that no insects' eggs remain in them. 
Pieces of carpets and other large articles should be hung 
out of doors, on lines, before being put away. 

Having taken care of the closets, drawers, boxes, and 
stored goods, the next thing will be to clean the room. 
Brush the articles of furniture and set them outside the 
room. Brush the walls, ceiling, and windows. After 
sweeping the floor wash the windows and woodwork, and 
also the floor, wiping very dry. Let the room air for an 
hour or more ; then return all the articles to their places. 

Taking up and Cleaning Carpets. 

Have two strong sheets made of unbleached cotton. Re- 
move the carpet tacks with a tack-lifter, being careful to put 
every one of them in a box or bowl. It is not only ex- 
tremely painful, but also dangerous, to step on a rusty tack, 
and the housekeeper should make it a matter of conscience 
to see to it that none are left lying about. When all the 
tacks have been removed fold the carpet carefully, length- 
wise ; then roll it up and put it in one of the sheets, tying 
this. Put the linings in the other sheet. Take both sheets 
into the yard or some field near by, and after spreading 
the linings, sweep them on both sides, pile them up, and 
cover with the sheet. Spread the carpet and beat with a 
rattan or long switch. Sweep it, and then turn it over and 
beat again. Let it lie on the grass, wrong side up, until 
the room is ready. 

The small yards in city houses are not the proper places 
for cleaning carpets, as the dust rises and enters all the 
surrounding houses. There is in some cities a law against 
beating carpets in such narrow quarters. 



356 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Sweeping and Dusting. 

When the carpet and hnings have been removed from 
the room, sprinkle the floor with either moistened sawdust, 
fine sand, or bits of damp paper ; then sweep up the dust. 
Go over the floor a second time. Brush the ceihng and 
walls of the room and closets, being careful to get every 
crack free from dust. Clean, with a small brush, the tops 
of the doors and windows, the window sashes, the ledges 
and blinds, and all the grooves in the woodwork. For the 
walls and ceiling use a broom covered with Canton flannel, 
or any old flannel. Let the strokes on the walls be straight 
downward. If there be a fireplace in the room spread 
thick papers on the hearth and clean both the grate and 
fireplace. Take the bedstead apart and lay each piece on 
the floor, grooved side up. Be careful that there is not a 
particle of dust left in it. Pour naphtha into every groove. 
Be generous, for it is not expensive and will hurt nothing. 
Have near by a bowl of naphtha, into which dip the ends of 
the slats. If there have been any indications of insect life 
in the bed or room, spray all the cracks in the floor, walls, 
and woodwork. Now sweep the floor for the third time and 
wash it with hot diluted lime water, which is made by pour- 
ing four quarts of boiling water upon one quart of quicklime, 
and letting the mixture stand covered for several hours ; 
then pouring into another pail the clear water. Put one 
quart of this water to two gallons of hot. The boards will 
be made whiter and sweeter by the use of the lime water. 

Washing Painted Surfaces. 

Next wash the paint. If it be white do not use ordinary 
soap. Wring a flannel cloth out of hot water and dip it 
lightly in whiting. Rub with this, and then wash ofl" all the 
whiting ; next wipe with the cloth wrung out of hot water, 
and finally rub with a dry flannel until the surface is per- 



WHEN CLEANING HOUSE. 357 

fectly dry. Have a pointed stick for all the grooves and 
corners. If the woodwork be grooved a great deal, as is 
now the fashion, a small scrubbing brush, such as is sold 
for cleaning kitchen boards, will be found helpful, as a few 
strokes the length of a long grooved panel will clean it per- 
fectly. If soap be preferred to whiting, use the white castile, 
as this will not turn the paint yellow, nor will it soften it, 
as is apt to be the case with soaps in which the alkali 
is strong. Now wash the blinds, then the window casings 
and ledges, and finally the glass of the windows. 

When cleaning paint it is well not to have the cloth so 
wet that the water will run on the paint, as it will leave 
streaks. Wash only a small place at a time. Wash the 
blinds with clear water. When you come to the window 
ledges do not use so much water that it will run down 
on the outside of the house, marring the appearance of 
the walls. Always rub with the grain of the wood. 

Take the covers from the furniture, and dust again, wash- 
ing the mirror in the dressing-case. Clean and pohsh the 
furniture. 

Laying the Carpet. 

Lay the carpet linings on the floor, putting a small tack 
here and there to keep them in place. Put the carpet on 
the floor, unrolHng it in the direction in which it is to be 
laid. Begin to tack it at the end of the room which is the 
most irregular. If there be a fireplace or bay-window in 
the room, fit the carpet around these places first. Use 
large tacks to hold the carpet temporarily in place ; they 
can be withdrawn when the work is finished. When the 
carpet is fitted to a place, use small tacks to keep it down. 
Tack one end of the carpet, stretching it well ; then a side, 
then the other end, and finally the other side. Be careful 
to keep the lines straight, and to have the carpet fit tightly ; 
for if it be loose, it will not only look bad, but will not 
wear well. 



358 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

When the carpet is laid, pour a Httle naphtha on any 
soiled places, and rub with a piece of flannel until the spots 
disappear. Always have a window open at such times, to 
allow the gas to escape. Put about six quarts of warm 
water in a pail and add four tablespoonfuls of household 
ammonia. Wring a woollen cloth out of this, and wipe the 
carpet. 

Put the furniture and other articles in place. When all 
the chambers are finished, clean the hall and stairs. All 
the chambers and upper halls are to be cleaned in the 
same manner, one room at a time. If the stairs be car- 
peted, take up the carpets and have them cleaned and put 
away until all the front part of the house has been cleaned. 

Rooms on the First Floor. 

The rooms on this floor nowadays are generally shut off 
by portieres, over and under which the dust sifts into the 
adjoining rooms when one of the series is being cleaned, 
unless the housekeeper provide the proper screens. Have 
for this purpose sheets of strong, unbleached cotton, a yard 
longer and wider than the height and width of the openings. 
If you take down your portieres and tack these sheets on the 
top and at the bottom of the casings, the other rooms will 
be well protected. Now dust and remove the small orna- 
ments. Beat and brush the upholstered furniture. Re- 
move from the room as much of the furniture as possible. 
Take down the window draperies and shake the dust from 
them in the yard. Have the dining-room table made its 
full length, and lay an old sheet over it Spread the 
draperies on this, one at a time, and wipe them with a 
clean piece of cheese-cloth ; then fold them carefully, if 
they are not to be hung again until fall, and, pinning them 
in clean sheets, put them away in boxes or drawers. Next 
take down the shades, and after wiping them with a clean 
cloth roll them up and put them aside until the room is 



WHEN CLEANING HOUSE. 359 

cleaned. Cover the large pieces of furniture, and if there 
be carpets to be taken up proceed in these rooms as 
directed for the bedrooms. If there be brasses, take them 
to the laundry or kitchen to be cleaned. Take down the 
shades of the chandeliers and wash them. If the carpets 
are to be taken up, they should be removed at once, and if 
they are not, brush the ceiling, walls, woodwork, windows, 
blinds, and ledges, and then sweep the carpet. When the 
dust settles sweep a second time ; be careful to brush the 
corners and edges thoroughly with a small broom. After 
the carpet is thoroughly swept, saturate the edges and cor- 
ners with naphtha, leaving the doors and windows open, of 
course. Now clean the paint and windows. When the 
room is clean put three tablespoonfuls of household am- 
monia in about six quarts of water, and, wringing a clean 
cloth out of this, wipe the carpet. Change the water as 
soon as it becomes dark. Replace the furnishings. Of 
course, if the floors be of polished hard wood, half the 
burden of house-cleaning is removed. 

Kitchen, Pantry, and Closets. 

Last, but not least, on the programme comes the back 
part of the house. Beginning with the china closet, remove 
and wipe all the dishes. Brush the walls, ceiling, and 
shelves. Take the drawers to the kitchen and wash and 
wipe them, afterward drying them in the sun or before the 
fire. Wash all the woodwork and the floors before repla- 
cing the dishes. Clean the kitchen closets and pantry in 
the same manner. Wash and scour all the wooden, tin, and 
iron utensils, getting them perfectly dry and sweet in the 
sunlight, if possible. Line the shelves and floor of the pot 
closet with thick brown paper, and put the utensils in 
place. Take down the kitchen shades and wipe them with 
a clean cloth. Brush the ceiling and walls. If the walls 
be painted, wash them in warm ammonia water, — four 



36o MISS parloa's young housekeeper. ' 

tablespoonfuls of ammonia to six quarts of water. Have 
ready a second pail of clear hot water and a clean cloth. 
Go over the washed space with the clean cloth and water ; 
then wipe dry. If the woodwork be hard or grained, wash 
it in the same manner ; using, however, only half as much 
ammonia. Wash the windows, scour the tables and sink, 
clean the pipes and faucets, black the stove, and wash the 
floor. When all this is done go over the woodwork with a 
flannel dampened with linseed oil and turpentine, — half of 
each ; then rub with a dry flannel. The laundry and back 
halls should receive the same attention. Then the piazza 
and yard should be put in order. 



CHAPTER XXV. 

ODD BITS OF USEFUL KNOWLEDGE. 

Points of Difference in Various Brands of Flour. 

MUCH trouble in cooking arises from the difference in 
various brands of flour. There are often, indeed, 
variations in the same brand. All are caused by the differ- 
ent modes of making the flour, and changes in the kind of 
wheat used. 

When flour is made by the roller process, two cupfuls 
will make a much stiffer batter than flour made by the 
old process of grinding between stones, or produced by 
first crushing by rollers and then grinding between stones. 
Millers all over the country are always looking for, and fre- 
quently making, improvements in the processes which they 
are accustomed to follow. This necessarily results in chan- 
ges in the texture and quality of their products. Then, too, 
it makes a difference whether the wheat used is spring or 
winter wheat. In the Eastern States, where mills are few, 
the flour comes largely from Minnesota and other Western 
States. This flour has in the last fifteen or twenty years 
been made almost wholly by the roller process, and chiefly 
of spring wheat. The distinguishing quality of this flour is 
this : if rubbed between the fingers it feels rough and granu- 
lar, and if pressed in the hand it will not hold its shape, but 
fall apart as granulated sugar would. When using this flour 
by measure, allow one eighth more wetting than for flour 
made by grinding between stones. 



362 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

Recently a number of millers have modified the new pro- 
cess by using the rollers for cleansing, separating, and grind- 
ing until the last stages of the work, when the flour is put 
between stones and ground smooth and fine. When this 
is done the distinguishing features between the old and new 
processes are lost. This flour is smooth to the touch, will 
keep its shape if pressed in the hand, and will not absorb 
as much moisture as the more granular kind. It can be 
used equally well for bread, cake, and pastry. Some of the 
mills in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan make 
this flour in perfection. 

Flour that is made of new spring wheat will not give so 
good bread when first made as it will after it has been kept 
for a month or more. A great deal of the trouble with 
bread comes from this condition of the flour. A barrel of 
flour that will not make good bread to-day, simply because 
the wheat was too new when ground, wifl, if kept for two 
months, make perfect bread, if the yeast be good ; for, 
after all, the yeast is more frequently than the flour the 
cause of failure to make satisfactory bread. 

When one buys flour in small quantities there will always 
be an uncertainty as to how it will work until after the first 
time it is used. Even in small famihes it is better to get 
flour by the barrel, as it improves with age. Another thing 
for the housekeeper to remember is that the whitest flour is 
not the most nutritious. What is called first-quality flour 
does not contain nearly so large a quantity of the best ele- 
ments of the wheat as the second quality, which is much 
darker, but gives a sweeter and more nutritious loaf. 

It is wonderful to see the various processes through which 
the wheat goes before it comes out of the mill. There is 
no question that flour which is made by the roller process 
in the first stages and finally ground between the stones will 
give the most satisfaction. The wheat is more thoroughly 
cleaned than when the flour is made wholly by the old pro- 
cess, and the separation of the hard substance and the dust 



ODD BITS OF USEFUL KNOWLEDGE. 363 

from the wheat is more thorough than by the old mode, and 
therefore when the flour comes from the millstones it is free 
from undesirable substances. 

When and Why Soda, Cream of Tartar, and Baking 
Powders are Used. 

Soda may be used in all kinds of bread, cake, pudding, and 
griddle cakes where an acid also is used. The acid may 
be cream of tartar, vinegar, lemon juice, sour milk or cream, 
molasses, or something else. If two teaspoonfuls of cream 
of tartar be used, there must be one teaspoonful of soda, 
save in cases where the cream of tartar is used only to give 
tone and firmness of texture to a pudding or cake in which 
only the whites of the eggs are employed, — such as many of 
the meringue puddings, and angel cake. 

In puddings and cakes where molasses, lemon juice, or 
vinegar is used, soda should be used instead of baking pow- 
der, because the baking powder is a combination of an acid 
and alkali, and the proportions are so carefully ac^justed that 
the two ingredients neutralize each other. 

Sometimes a rule for cake or gingerbread/ calls for one 
teaspoonful of soda and one of cream of Aartar. In such 
cases allowance is made for the acid in the molasses, or in 
the sour milk or cream that is used. Again, in making 
cake in which a good many eggs and wine or brandy are 
used, a small quantity of soda, but no cream of tartar, is 
called for. This is because there is enough acid in the 
wine and butter to neutralize the Small quantity of soda and 
produce the required amount of carbonic acid gas. 

It will be seen, by these statements, that the housekeeper 
who uses baking powder can do without cream of tartar, 
but she must be provided with soda when using molasses 
and sour milk and cream. 

Soda should never be dissolved in hot water, because 
some of the gases would be liberated and wasted, and a 



364 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

greater amount of soda would be needed to make good this 
waste than if the soda were dissolved in cold water. 

Housekeepers should remember, when making biscuit 
and dumplings with baking powder, that three teaspoonfuls 
of the powder will be required to make one quart of flour 
light. The manufacturers' directions often call for only two, 
and the result is unsatisfactory. 

About Whipping Cream. 

Have the cream very cold. Put it in a bowl or pail, and 
set this dish in a pan of cold water, — ice water if possible. 
Have a large bowl or pan set in another pan of ice water. 
Place the whip-churn in the cream, tipping a httle to one 
side, that the air and cream may be forced through 
the holes in the bottom of the churn. Draw the 
dasher up about one third the length of the cylinder ; 
then press down. Let the upward stroke be light, 
and the downward stroke hard. If you will count 
time in this way : one, two ; one, two, — it will in- 
sure a regular stroke, which is important. 

When the bowl is full of froth, skim it off into the 

larger bowl, being careful not to skim too near the 

WHIP- liquid cream. A little of the froth will become 

' liquid, but +.his can be poured back into the bowl 

and whipped again. 

The cream must be neither too thick nor too thin. If 
too thick, thin it with milk. When cream is too thick for 
whipping, the bubbles will be very small and the cream will 
hardly double in volume. This kind of cream makes most 
desserts too rich. When the cream is too thin, the bubbles 
will be large and clear, and \4^ill break when touched. Such 
cream as is sold at creameri^js as thick or heavy cream, and 
costs from fifty to eighty cei ts a quart, — depending on the 
locality, — will require a pii. t of milk to a pint of cream. 
The thin cream sold at the croameries is often too poor to 
be whipped. 



ODD BITS OF USEFUL KNOWLEDGE. 365 

The whip- churn is a tin cylinder, perforated on the bot- 
tom and sides, in which a dasher of tin, also perforated, can 
be easily moved up and down. When this churn is placed 
in a bowl of cream and the dasher is worked, air .is forced 
through the cream, causing it to froth. 

Good cream may be frothed with a whisk, or with an egg- 
beater, but the whip-churn described above is, to my mind, 
the most satisfactory for this work. 

How to Prepare Bread Crumbs. 

There are two methods of preparing bread crumbs. Such 
as are to be used for escaloped dishes or dishes prepared 
au grafin, etc., should always be grated. That means, of 
course, that stale bread — not dried bread — should be used. 
This gives light, fluffy crumbs. 

For breading, pieces of bread should be dried in a slow 
oven until not a particle of moisture is left. The dried 
bread should then be put in a bag and pounded fine with a 
wooden mallet. Now rub the crumbs through a common 
flour sieve, and put them away in glass jars. There should 
always be kept on hand a good supply of these dry crumbs. 

Breading Articles for Prying. 

The albumen of the tgg hardens so quickly when exposed 
to a high temperature that it is used as a protection for 
articles of food that lack albuminous matter enough on the 
surface instantly to form a hard coating. The tgg does 
not take a fine, brown color ; therefore, bread or cracker 
crumbs are used with it to give the food crispness and 
a rich color. Covering an article of food with egg and 
bread crumbs is called breading. Put the egg in a deep 
plate, and beat it thoroughly with a spoon, but not enough 
to make it light. Have the crumbs in another plate, or 
they may be spread in a thick bed on a board. Have the 
article that is to be breaded seasoned well with salt, and 



366 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

slightly with pepper, if the latter be used at all. Put the 
article in the egg, and with a tablespoon dip up and pour 
the egg over every part of it. Not a spot should escape 
the coating. With a broad-bladed knife lift the article 
from the egg, and roll it in the dried crumbs, being careful 
that every part is covered. Lay the breaded food on a flat 
dish or on the board until dry. 

Never place one breaded article on another when drying 
or frying. When ready to fry, shake oif the loose crumbs. 
Place in the wire basket, being careful not to crowd. Fish, 
meat, croquettes, etc., when dry after breading, may be 
placed in the refrigerator until the time for frying. They 
will keep for twelve hours or longer. 

Sometimes a very thick crust is desired on some kinds 
of food. In that case bread all the articles, and when they 
are dry, give them a second coat of egg and crumbs. 

Ways to G-et Onion Juice. 

Pare a fresh onion and bruise the side by striking with 
the dull edge of a knife ; then press the flat side of the 
blade of the knife against the bruised place. The juice 
will fall in drops. If a large .quantity be required, cut the 
onion fine, put it in a piece of cheese-cloth, and press in a 
lemon squeezer kept solely for this purpose. 

Getting Rid of the Odor of Onions. 

If the hands and the utensils which were used in preparing 
raw onions be thoroughly washed in cold water before soap 
or hot water touches them, the odor of the vegetable will 
disappear. 

Stoning Raisins in an Easy Manner. 

Stem the raisins, and, putting them in a bowl, cover with 
boiling water. Immediately pour off the water. This 



ODD BITS OF USEFUL KNOWLEDGE. 367 

softens the skins and makes the raisins puff up so that the 
stones are removed with ease. 

To Freshen Bread and Cake. 

If you wish to freshen a stale loaf of bread or cake, put 
it in a deep pan, cover it closely and set it in rather a cool 
oven for about twenty minutes. The loaf will be almost as 
fresh as when first baked, but it must be used the same day, 
as it dries quickly when reheated in this manner. 

Making a Bouquet of Sweet Herbs. 

Tie together one spray of parsley, one sprig each of 
thyme and summer savory, one small leaf of sage, and one 
large bay leaf. This bouquet will flavor a gallon of soup. 
It must not cook in it for more than an hour. When only 
a small amount of soup or sauce is to be flavored, the 
bouquet should be cooked in the liquid but a short time,— 
perhaps from ten to twenty minutes. 

Preventing a Meringue from Falling. 

The means of preventing a meringue from falling when 
it is taken from the oven are simple. Usually the trouble 
arises from baking the meringue in too high a temperature. 
If you beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff, dry froth, then 
gradually beat in the powdered sugar (a generous table- 
spoonful for each white of an egg), put the meringue on 
the pie or pudding when partially cooled, and bake in a 
moderate oven, with the door open, for eighteen to twenty 
minutes, the annoyance may be avoided. 

To Temper Iron and Earthen Ware. 

Heat the iron slowly and then cool slowly. It is best, 
when it can be done, to grease the inside of the iron utensil 
and fiU it with cold water ; then heat the water gradually to 



368 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

the boiling point, and cool slowly. Earthenware is to be 
put in a kettle of cold water, which is then to be heated 
slowly to the boiling point, and cooled slowly. If con- 
venient, put a little bran in the water. 

Flour Paste. 

Mix one heaped tablespoonful of flour with five of cold 
water. Pour on this a scant gill of boihng water, stirring 
all the time. Stir the mixture on the fire until it boils up, 
then strain. 

What to do When Burning Accidents Occur. 

There are many simple remedies which, in case of burn- 
ing accidents, can be applied before the physician comes. 
So much immediate and future suffering can be averted by 
the prompt use of some remedy, that everybody should 
have fixed in mind some of the proper things to do. Slight 
burns, such as one often gets in the kitchen or laundry, 
can be relieved, and blistering be prevented, by coating 
the burned part with oil, lard, or butter, then covering 
with baking soda, and finally with a piece of linen. In 
a short time the pain will cease, and, unless the burn be 
very deep or the remedies be applied too late, there will be 
no blister. Lime water also is good for burns. 

Children are often scalded by falling into hot water left 
within their reach, or by overturning some hot liquid upon 
themselves. In a case of scalding it must be remembered 
that the clothes clinging to the body are saturated with the 
hot liquid, and that as long as they are allowed to remain 
in this condition the heat will be kept in, and the burn 
become deeper. The first thing to do in a case of this 
kind is to pour cold water over the sufferer. This at once 
cools the clothing, which should afterward be taken off as 
gently but quickly as possible. Next pour sweet oil over 
the burns and cover them with soda, if you have it ; if not, 



ODD BITS OF USEFUL KNOWLEDGE. 369 

cover with soft linen cloths, and then wet with lime water. 
If there be no oil at hand, lard will do. The things at 
which to aim are, to cover the burn at once with some pure 
oily substance and then with soda or lime water, to take 
out the fire ; to have the place covered with linen, which 
will not stick to the wound ; and, finally, to cover closely 
from the air. Nothing is better for this purpose than a thin 
roll of cotton batting spread over the linen. Sometimes the 
cotton batting is saturated with oil and laid directly on the 
wound ; but it is apt to cling to the flesh, and cause much 
trouble and suffering. A fine quality of cotton batting may 
be obtained at any druggist's. 

In every house there should be a closet or drawer on the 
first floor where a few simple remedies are kept. Here is 
a list for burns : a roll of old linen, such as handkerchiefs, 
napkins, pieces of table-cloths, sheets, and piUow-cases ; a 
roll of cotton batting, a bottle of sweet oil, with the stopple 
drawn and gently put back, so that it can be quickly re- 
moved ; a bottle of lime water ; a box of powdered baking 
soda ; a ball of soft darning cotton ; and a needle, thread, 
thimble, and scissors. One may have no use for these 
things in many years ; but the trouble of keeping them is 
trifling, and should there be need of them the advantage of 
having them ready for use is beyond estimation. 

To make lime water, put about half a pound of unslaked 
lime in an earthen bowl, and pour over it three pints of 
boiling water. Stir with a stick, and put away in a cool 
place for eight or ten hours. At the end of that time pour 
ofl" the clear lime water, letting the sediment remain in the 
bowl. Bottle the water, and put the stopple in, but not so 
far that it cannot be easily drawn. 

Use of Naphtha in the Household. 

Naphtha has come to be a power in cleaning establish- 
ments, and to some extent in the household. Before giving 

24 



370 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

any directions for its use, I want to state that this fluid is 
extremely dangerous unless ample precautions be taken ; 
but with proper care there is not the sHghtest danger. 
Naphtha is very volatile, giving off a highly inflammable 
gas. It is dangerous even to have an uncorked bottle of 
it in a room where there is a light or fire. If, however, 
when naphtha is being used, the windows in the room be 
open and there be neither light nor fire, there will not be 
a particle of danger. 

Soiled carpets and garments may be cleaned by sponging 
with naphtha. Buffalo bugs and moths can be destroyed 
with it. For stuffed furniture use naphtha freely. Put the 
article on the piazza and pour the fluid into it, being sure 
that every part is saturated. After a day or two, repeat the 
process, and I think you will find that both worms and 
eggs are destroyed. Still, it wiU be necessary to keep a 
close watch ; for it is more diflicult to destroy the eggs 
than the worms, and they may be hatched out after days, 
or even weeks, have passed. I know that if the naphtha be 
used again at this time the trouble will be at an end. Furs 
and woollen garments should be well beaten, and then satu- 
rated with naphtha. There is no danger in this generous 
use of the fluid out of doors ; but in the house great care 
must be exercised. Windows should be opened, and there 
should be no light or fire in the room for several days, if 
naphtha has been used in large quantities. 

When rugs or carpets are attacked, have two hot flat- 
irons ready. Wet with hot water the parts that are affected. 
Place several thicknesses of wet cloth over this, and apply 
the hot iron, which should stand there for at least ten min- 
utes, that the steam may penetrate every part. When all 
is done, pour on naphtha ; also, pour it about the edges of 
the carpet. Remember that wiping with naphtha has no 
effect ; it must be a generous bath. Let me say again, 
that the danger from the fluid comes from the gas, and that 
the windows are to be opened, and no fire or light allowed 



ODD BITS OF USEFUL KNOWLEDGE. 3 /I 

in the room during the work, or for a few hours after it is 
done. 

Bedbugs can be banished from a room with two or three 
appHcations of naphtha. Take the bed apart and dust it. 
Let the parts he flat on the floor with the grooved sides up. 
Saturate the bed with naphtha, filHng the grooves. Pour 
the fluid into the pillows and mattresses, wetting the seams 
and tuftings thoroughly. Spray any cracks there may be in 
the walls. If there be a carpet on the floor it will be well 
to give it a naphtha bath, to clean and brighten it. When 
all this is done, close the room, leaving the windows open. 
It should stand in this way for at least eight hours, that 
the gas may pass off. Should any bugs appear after this, 
repeat the operation. The second time will not fail. 

When putting away furs, flannels, rugs, etc., have the 
articles well beaten. Put them in sheets, and wet with 
naphtha; then pin the sheets and put the articles away 
in boxes or drawers. 

A Word Regarding Stains. 

Stains of all kinds are constantly getting on all sorts of 
articles and fabrics. Great care must be used in removing 
them, as the treatment that is good for one kind wifl pro- 
duce the most disastrous results with another. A few sim- 
ple remedies are given for the most common stains that 
trouble the housekeeper. 

To Remove Grease Spots. 

Where soap and hot water can be used, wash the spots 
in very hot water, using plenty of soap ; then rinse well. 
French chalk or fuller's earth may be powdered and mixed 
with cold water, to make a thick paste. Spread this on the 
grease spot and let it remain for several days ; then brush 
off. If the stain has not fully disappeared, apply the mix- 
ture a second time. 



372 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Oxgall may be used on dark colors'; if purified, it may 
be used on any color. It can sometimes be bought at a 
druggist's in a purified state. Chemists also combine oxgall 
with turpentine and other cleaning agents. This prepara- 
tion is effective and safe in removing grease. 

In the case of delicate fabrics that can be washed, the 
spots may be rubbed with yolk of egg before the washing. 
Naphtha is usually effective in removing grease. 

Here is still another way. Put a piece of blotting paper 
under the grease spot and another over it. flace a warm 
iron on the upper one. After a while remove the iron and 
paper, and, if the grease has not entirely disappeared, repeat 
the process with fresh paper. 

If a large amount of oil or grease be spilled on a flat sur- 
face, immediately cover the place thickly with whiting, wheat 
flour, or meal of any kind. This will absorb some of the 
oily substance, and prevent it from spreading. After an 
hour or two brush off this substance and apply the usual 
remedies. 

Grease spots on carpets may be taken out by covering 
the spots with fuller's earth, wet with spirits of turpentine. 
Let it stand until the earth is a fine dry powder. 

Delicate fabrics, like silk, crepe, ribbons, scarfs, etc., may 
be spread on a clean cloth and then be covered with pow- 
dered French chalk or fufler's earth. Roll up the article 
and put away for a few weeks and it will become clean. 

To Take Grease from Wood and Stone. 

Put one gill of washing soda and one quart of boiling 
water in a stewpan and place on the fire. When the soda 
is dissolved, pour the boiling hquid on the grease spot. 
Rub with an old broom. An hour or two later rub with a 
mop. Rinse out the mop ; then wash with clean hot water. 
Be careful not to get the soda water on your hands, cloth- 
ing, or boots. 



ODD BITS OF USEFUL KNOWLEDGE. 373 

Removing Stains from Marble. 

If the stains were made by grease, spread wet whiting 
or chloride of lime on them and let it remain for sev- 
eral hours ; then wash oif. Washing soda, dissolved in hot 
water, mixed with enough whiting to form a thick paste, 
and kept on the stains for several hours, will remove grease 
spots. 

Sometimes the marble has a discolored appearance from 
scratches. If it be rubbed hard with wet whiting and then 
washed and wiped dry, the mark will disappear. Ink and 
iron rust are usually removed with an acid, but if that be 
employed on marble, it will dissolve the stone. The reme- 
dies given for grease spots can, however, be used. Should 
an acid be used on marble, pour ammonia water on the spot 
and it will neutralize the acid, thus saving the marble. 

Treatment of Fruit Stains. 

One of the simplest methods is to place the stained part 
of the cloth over a bowl and continue pouring boiling water 
through until the stain disappears. If this be done soon 
after the article is stained, there will be no trouble in most 
cases. 

Oxalic acid will remove fruit stains. As it is useful for 
many purposes, it is well to keep a bottle of it in some safe 
place. Put three ounces of the crystals in a bottle with half 
a pint of water. Mark the bottle plainly. 

When stains are to be removed have a large pail of water 
and a bottle of household ammonia at hand. Wet the 
stained parts with the acid and then rub. When the stains 
have disappeared, put the article in the water. Wash thor- 
oughly in several waters, and then wet the parts with the 
ammonia, that all trace of the acid may be removed. 
Finally, rinse again. 



374 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Coffee, Tea, and Wine Stains on Table Linen. 

If treated at once such stains seldom give much trouble. 
Place the stained part over a large bowl and pour boiling 
water upon it until the stain disappears. If, however, the 
stains be of long standing, and have been washed with soap, 
it will be difficult to get rid of them. Javelle water (which 
can be made at home or bought of a druggist) will do it. 
Put about half a pint of Javelle water and a quart of clear 
water into an earthen bowl ; let the stained article soak in 
this for several hours ; then rinse thoroughly in three waters. 
It is only white goods that can be treated in this manner, as 
the Javelle water bleaches out the color. Another way to 
do is to put a little of the Javelle water in a saucer or small 
bowl, and soak the spot in this until it disappears. Rinse 
thoroughly. 

When Cloths become Mildewed- 
Put about a tablespoonful of chloride of lime in a wooden 
pail, or earthen bowl, and add four quarts of cold water. 
Stir until all the lime is dissolved, using a wooden spoon or 
paddle. Now put the mildewed article into the water and 
work it about, using the spoon or paddle. Let the article 
stay in the water until all the mildew has disappeared ; then 
throw it into a tub of cold water. Wash well in this, and 
then rinse in a second tub of cold water ; finally, wring out 
and dry. If the rinsing be thorough the fabric will be 
uninjured. It is only white goods that can be treated in 
this way, because chloride of lime removes colors as well as 
mildew. 

The Best Way to remove Iron Rust. 

Buy four ounces of muriatic acid at a druggist's. It is 
useful for various purposes. Have it marked plainly. It 
should, moreover, be labelled as poisonous. 



ODD BITS OF USEFUL KNOWLEDGE. 375 

Fill a large bowl with boiling water. Have another bowl 
or pan full of hot water. A bottle of household ammonia 
also is necessary. Place the spotted part of the garment 
over the bowl of hot water. Wet a cork in the muriatic 
acid and touch the iron rust with it. Immediately the spot 
will turn a bright yellow. Dip at once in the hot water, and 
the stain will disappear. When all the spots have been re- 
moved, rinse the article thoroughly in several clear waters, 
then in ammonia water (a tablespoonful of household 
ammonia to a quart of water), and finally in clear water. 
The acid is very powerful, and will destroy the fabric if 
allowed to remain upon it. Ammonia neutralizes it. If the 
directions be followed carefully, the most delicate fabric can 
be successfully treated in this way. 

As muriatic acid is very destructive of tin, do not keep 
the bottle in the same closet with articles made of that 
metal. 

Removing Blood Stains. 

Wash the stain in blood- warm water until the greater part 
has been removed ; then rub on some soap, and wash until 
the stain disappears. When the stain is on white cotton or 
linen goods, scald the article after it has been washed. 
Never use hot water until the stain is nearly removed. 

Removing Sewing-machine Oil Stains. 

Rub the stain with sweet oil or lard, and let it stand for 
several hours ; then wash in soap and cold water. 

To Remove Pitch and Tar. 

Rub lard on the stain and let it stand for a few hours ; 
then sponge with spirits of turpentine until the stain is 
removed. If the color of the fabric be affected, sponge it 
with chloroform and the color will be restored. 



376 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Alcohol for Grass Stains. 
Rub the stain with alcohol ; then wash in clean water. 

Muriatic Acid for Stains on Porcelain. 

When there is a great deal of iron in the water, the por- 
celain or china bowls in the bath-room become badly 
stained. Rub a little muriatic acid on the stained parts, 
and rinse thoroughly with cold water, adding a little am- 
monia to the rinsing water toward the end. 

To Remove Paint. 

Wet the paint with turpentine and rub with a woollen 
cloth. If the paint spot can be kept wet with the turpen- 
tine for a little while, it will not require so much rubbing. 

Removing Ink Stains. 

Tear blotting paper in pieces and hold the rough edges 
on the ink when it is freshly spilled. If you have no blot- 
ting paper at hand, cover the spot with Indian meal ; or, 
the liquid ink may be absorbed by cotton batting. The 
first care should be to prevent the ink from spreading. If 
ink be spilled upon a carpet, cut a lemon in two, remove a 
part of the rind, and rub the lemon on the stain. As the 
lemon becomes stained with the ink, slice it off, and rub 
with the clean part. Continue this until the stain is 
removed. 

If the stained article be washed immediately in several 
waters and then in milk, letting it soak in the milk for 
several hours, the stain will disappear. 

Washing the article immediately in vinegar and water, and 
then in soap and water, will remove all ordinary ink stains. 

Washing at once in water and then in liquid citric acid 
or oxalic acid is another mode. Oxalic acid is very corro- 



ODD BITS OF USEFUL KNOWLEDGE. 377 

sive, and should be removed from the article by a thorough 
washing in water. If, after the washing, the article be wet with 
househoid ammonia, any acid remaining will be neutralized. 

No matter what substance be used to remove ink, the 
stain must be rubbed well. If the article stained be a car- 
pet on the floor, use a brush. As the acids often affect the 
colors in a fabric, it is wise to try the water and milk or 
the water and vinegar method before resorting to the acids. 
Chemicals should always be the last resort, unless one be 
rather familiar with their action. 

My own experience is that it is a most difficult matter to 
remove the stains of some kinds of black ink if they have 
stood for a few hours ; whereas, other kinds, notably stylo- 
graphic ink spots, can be removed easily with soap and 
water. 

"When Acids are Spilled. 

A bottle of household ammonia should be kept where it 
can be reached conveniently at any time ; then, when an 
acid is accidentally spilled, pour ammonia over the spot at 
once. 

Restoring Colors. 

When an acid has been spilled on a fabric its effect may 
be neutralized by sponging with ammonia. If an alkali, 
such as ammonia, soda, potash, etc., be spilled on a gar- 
ment, its effect may be neutralized by sponging with weak 
vinegar. 

If the color be not fully restored, sponge with chloroform. 

To make Javelle Water. 

Into a large saucepan, porcelain-lined if possible, put four 
pounds of bicarbonate of soda and four quarts of hot water. 
Stir frequently with a wooden stick until the soda is dis- 
solved ; then add one pound of chloride of lime, and stir 



378 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

occasionally until nearly all the solids are dissolved. Let 
the liquid cool in the kettle ; then strain the clear part 
through a piece of cheese-cloth into wide-mouthed bottles. 
Put in the stoppers and set away for use. The part that is 
not clear can be put into separate bottles and used for clean- 
ing white floors and tables ; also for cleaning the sink. 

In making this preparation be careful not to spatter it on 
your clothing or on the paint. Half a pint of this water can 
be put into a tub with about a dozen pails of warm suds, 
and the soiled white clothes be soaked in them. Much of 
the dirt can be removed by this method. The French laun- 
dresses use this preparation for white clothes. 

A Good Cleaning Fluid. 

Put into a large saucepan two quarts of water, half an 
ounce of borax, and four ounces of white castile soap shaved 
fine, and stir frequently until the soap and borax are dis- 
solved ; then take from the fire and add two quarts of cold 
water. When the mixture is cold, add one ounce of gly- 
cerine, one of ether, and four of ammonia crystals. Bottle 
and put away for use ; it will keep for years. 

To clean an article, first brush thoroughly, and then spread 
on a table. Sponge with the cleaning fluid and rub hard 
until the stains disappear. Then press if necessary. 

This fluid will remove grease spots and stains of various 
kinds. It can be used on silks, cottons, and woollens. It 
is almost invaluable for cleaning men's clothing, dresses, 
carpets, etc. When a colored garment is to be sponged, try 
the fluid on a small piece of the goods, as it affects some 
colors. 

Treatment of Grease Spots on Wall Paper. 

If you find grease spots on wall paper, put powdered 
French chalk, wet with cold water, over the places, and let 
it remain for twelve hours or more. When you brush oif 



ODD BITS OF USEFUL KNOWLEDGE. 379 

the chalk, if the grease spots have not disappeared, put on 
more chalk, place a piece of coarse brown paper or blotting 
paper on this, and press for a few minutes with a warm 
flat-iron. 

Stale Bread for Cleaning Soiled Paper. 

Wipe the paper with a clean cloth. Cut a loaf of stale 
bread in two, lengthwise, and rub the bread over the paper, 
making long strokes straight up and down. When the bread 
becomes soiled, cut off a thin sHce, and continue the work 
with the clean surface. A large room may require the use 
of two or three loaves. 

Edges of books, margins of pictures, and other things 
may be cleaned in the same way. 

Two "Ways to Repair Wall Paper. 

Have a set of children's paints, selecting those that have 
creams, browns, yellows, and perhaps green, blue, and red. 
Mix the colors until you get the shade of the foundation 
color of the paper, then lightly touch up the broken places. 
If the breaks be smallthis will be all that is necessary ; but 
if large, it will be well when the first color is dry to touch 
up the place with the other colors. This is a much easier 
and more satisfactory method than patching the paper. If, 
however, the broken place be too large to be repaired with 
the paint, match the paper if you can and stick it on with 
flour paste. Never use mucilage, as it discolors the paper. 

Brightening Leather Furniture. 

Housekeepers often wonder if it is possible to restore 
the color to leather furniture which has become rusty in 
appearance. Furniture dealers say that real leather should 
not fade as long as it holds together. However, it does 
fade ; so try this method of brightening it. Wash the 



380 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 

leather with a sponge that has been wrung out of hot soap 
suds ; then rub as dry as possible. Now place the furniture 
in the sun and wind, that it may get thoroughly dry as quickly 
as possible. Next, rub hard with a cloth that has been wet 
with kerosene. Let the furniture stand in the air until the 
odor of the oil has passed off. 

Preventing Silks and Woollens from Turning 

Yellow. 

Whenever you have occasion to pack away silk or woollen 
goods which you are afraid may turn yellow, break up a few 
cakes of white beeswax and fold the pieces loosely in old 
handkerchiefs that are worn thin. Place these among the 
goods. If possible, pin the silks or woollens in some 
old white linen sheets or garments. If it be inconvenient 
to use linen, take cotton sheets. Of course, it is important 
that the clothing shall be perfectly clean when put away. 

Cleaning Dress Silks and Ribbons. 

There are several methods of cleaning silks. They may 
be spread on a clean table and sponged with naphtha, alco- 
hol, soap and water, etc. ; or the silk may be washed in soap 
suds, gasoline or naphtha. As the gasoline or naphtha does 
not affect the colors, it is more desirable for colored silks. 

If the silks be washed in suds, use the best white castile 
soap. Wash the silk in the suds ; then rinse in clear water 
and hang on a clothes-horse in the shade. Do not wring it. 
When the silk is nearly dry lay it on a soft ironing cloth, and, 
after spreading either coarse brown paper or a newspaper 
over it, press with rather a cool iron. If naphtha or gasoline 
be used, have the liquid in a large bowl near an open win- 
dow, and in a room where there is neither fire nor light. 
Wash the silk in this and hang in the air. It will dry 
quickly. 



ODD BITS OF USEFUL KNOWLEDGE. 38 1 

Black silk may be washed in ammonia water and rinsed 
in clear water to which has been added strong bluing and 
dissolved gelatine, — one quarter of an ounce of gelatine 
to one gallon of water. 

Never iron silk unless it is absolutely necessary. 

Cleaning Chamois Skins. 

Chamois skins that have been used for cleaning silver, 
brass, etc., can be made as soft and clean as new by follow- 
ing these directions. Put six tablespoonfuls of household 
ammonia into a bowl with a quart of tepid water. Let the 
chamois skin soak in this water for an hour. Work it about 
with a spoon, pressing out as much of the dirt as possible ; 
then lift it into a large basin of tepid water, and rub well 
with the hands. Rinse in fresh waters until clean, then 
dry in the shade. When dry, rub between the hands. 
Chamois jackets can be washed in the same manner, except 
that there should be two quarts of water to the six table- 
spoonfuls of ammonia. Pull into shape before drying. 

To Clean Brushes. 

Put enough warm water in a fiat bowl or pan to cover 
the bristles, but not to come over the back of the brush. 
To each quart of water put three tablespoonfuls of house- 
hold ammonia. Lay the brushes in this for about five 
minutes, then work them gently in the water. Rinse thor- 
oughly in cold water, and rest them on the edge where a 
current of air will strike them. 

Care of Straw Matting. 

This floor covering should not be washed often. Boil 
together for one hour two quarts of bran and four of 
water. Strain this, pressing all moisture out of the bran. 



382 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Add two quarts of cold water and two table spoonfuls of 
salt to the strained mixture. Wash the matting with this 
and rub dry with a clean cloth. 

To Clean Woods in Natural Finish. 

To clean woodwork in your halls and rooms do not wash 
it. Soap destroys the looks of woodwork that is finished in 
natural colors. Wring a flannel cloth out of hot water and 
wipe off the dust. When all the woodwork has been dusted 
in this manner go over it with a woollen cloth made damp 
with cotton-seed or sweet oil and alcohol or turpentine ; two 
parts oil and one alcohol or turpentine. Rub hard, and 
with the grain of the wood ; then rub with clean flannel. 
It will revive the color and gloss. Light woods must be 
wiped with a damp flannel and polished with a dry piece of 
flannel. Do not use oil on light woods. 

To clean the railing of banisters, wash off" all the dirt 
with soap and water, and when dry rub with two parts of 
linseed oil and one of turpentine. 

All dark woods that have become soiled and dingy may 
be washed with soap and water, using, if possible, a piece 
of flannel. Dry with a soft cloth. Mix together two parts 
of linseed oil and one of turpentine. Moisten an old piece 
of flannel in this and rub the furniture with it. Finish by 
rubbing hard, and with the grain, with a dry old piece of 
flannel. If there be any white stains rub them with kero- 
sene, using a good deal of oil and much pressure. 

The soiled wood may be cleaned with turpentine instead 
of soap and water. 

To Remove White Stains from Furniture. 

Wet a woollen cloth with kerosene and rub the spot until 
the stain disappears. It may take a good deal of hard 
rubbing if the stain be deep or of long standing, but per- 
severance will accomplish the object. 



ODD BITS OF USEFUL KNOWLEDGE. 383 

Cleaning Brass. 

There are many good preparations which come for clean- 
ing brass. The most of them do the work quickly, leaving 
a brilliant polish, but 'the metal does not keep clean so 
long as when cleaned by the old method. Pound fine and 
then sift half a pint of rotten- stone. Add to this half a gill 
of turpentine and enough sweet oil to make a thick paste. 
Wash the brasses in soap and water, wipe dry, and then 
rub with the paste. Rub with a soft clean rag, and polish 
with a piece of chamois skin. 

Conveniences when Sweeping. 

If one have proper covers for the pictures and heavy 
pieces of furniture in the room, a great amount of trouble 
can be saved on the sweeping day. Buy cheap print cloth 
for the furniture. Have three breadths in the cover, and 
have it three yards and a half long. It should be hemmed, 
and the work can be done quickly on a sewing-machine. 
I find six cloths a convenient number, although we do not 
always need so many. Get cheap unbleached cotton, and 
cut it into lengths suitable for covering pictures, heavy orna- 
ments, clocks, etc. These need not be hemmed. Always 
remove any coverings gently ; then take them out of doors 
to be shaken. Fold them and put them away. They will 
last a long time, and pay for themselves in a year, because 
they save so much extra dusting, and the moving of heavy 
articles. 

Mending Breaks in Plaster. 

Mix together half a pint of powdered lime, one gill of 
plaster of Paris, and cold water enough to make a thick 
paste. Fill the holes with this and smooth the surface with 
a knife. Work quickly. If there be many breaks mix only 
as much plaster as can be used in ten minutes, as it hardens 
quickly. 



384 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Another method is to fill the breaks with putty. When 
the plaster or putty is dry, the places can be touched with 
water colors to correspond with the rest of the wall. 

Cement for Stoves and Iron Ware. 

Mix together enough water glass and iron filings to make 
a thick paste. Apply this to the cracks or holes, and heat 
gradually almost to a red heat. This substance will bear a 
white heat, although of course one would rarely have occa- 
sion to test it to this degree. The water glass and iron 
fihngs can be bought at a druggist's. 

Cement for China. 

Dissolve one ounce of powdered gum-arabic in a gill of 
boiling water. Stir enough plaster of Paris into the liquid to 
make it the consistency of thick cream. Use immediately. 

Another Rule. — Powder quick-lime and stir it into 
the white of an egg, making rather a thick paste. Coat 
the broken edges lightly with this, and tie the pieces 
together. 

How to Fasten Handles of Knives and Forks. 

Mix together two ounces of powdered rosin, one ounce 
of powdered sulphur, and one ounce of iron filings. Keep 
these in a box, and, when a knife or fork becomes loosened 
from the handle, fill the opening in the handle with the 
powdered mixture. Heat the tang of the instrument and 
press it into the handle. Should it not go in to the hilt, 
heat again, and the second attempt will be successful. 

Do not pack the powder into the opening. Should the 
powder blaze up when the. heated metal is inserted, blow 
out the flame. Be careful to turn the fork- tines or knife- 
blade around until in the right position, before the filling 
becomes hard. 



ODD BITS OF USEFUL KNOWLEDGE. 385 



Value of a Drop of OiL 

Every housekeeper knows how annoying it is to have the 
hinges of the doors squeak, and the locks and bolts refuse 
to move unless great force be used. Many do not reaUze 
that a few drops of oil will, as a rule, remedy these annoy- 
ances. First spread a newspaper on that part of the floor 
over which the hinges swing. Now, with the sewing- 
machine oil can, oil the hinges thoroughly, and then swing 
the door back and forth until it moves without noise. 
Wipe the hinges, but let the paper remain for a few hours, 
to guard against the possible dripping of oil. For locks 
and bolts, protect the floor in the same manner. Oil them 
thoroughly, working them until they will move with ease. 
The egg-beater and the ice-cream freezer should be oiled 
frequently in the same manner. 

What to do when the Chimney is Cold. 

When lighting a fire where the chimney has not been 
used for some time, start the current of air upward by 
burning a paper in the stove pipe, or by holding it in the 
chimney, if it be a grate fire. 

If the heat has been turned ofl" from a room for some 
time it occasionally happens that the heated air will not 
come through the pipe when it is turned on again. In that 
case close for a few minutes nearly all the registers which 
serve as outlets for the other pipes, and the heat wiU be 
forced into the cold pipe. After this it will go that way 
naturally. 

To Prevent Kid from Cracking. 

When kid boots require a dressing, rub a little castor oil 
into the kid before the dressing is put on. This will keep 
the leather soft. 

25 



386 MISS parloa's young housekeeper. 

Testing the Oven Heat with Paper. 

Have white paper for testing the heat of the oven. Put 
a piece on the bottom of the oven and close the door. For 
pastry, the oven should be hot enough to turn the paper 
dark .brown in five minutes ; for bread, the heat should 
turn it in six minutes. All kinds of muffins can be baked 
at this heat. Cup cakes should be put into an oven that 
will turn a piece of white paper dark yellow in five minutes. 
Sponge and pound cakes require heat that will turn white 
paper light yellow in five minutes. Bread requires great 
heat at first ; later, the heat is to be reduced. Cake 
should have rather a cool oven. The heat can be increased 
later. 

Oven Thermometers. 

Many efforts have been made to produce a thermometer 
which will indicate the temperature of the oven, but, so far 
as I know, none made with mercury have been satisfactory. 
There is made in this country, however, an "oven clock," 
which can be set into the door of the oven. This is based 
on the principle of the contraction and expansion of the 
metals. To get the greatest benefit from these clocks the 
housekeeper must make her tests herself; that is, she must 
learn that when the hand points to a certain number the 
oven is right for roasting ; when at another point, that the 
heat is right for baking bread, cake, etc. After she has 
established these facts, she may write out a table which will 
serve as a safe guide in the future. 

Ridding the House of Water Bugs. 

Strew powdered borax about the pipes and in any cracks 
in the walls or woodwork where water bugs appear. If 
this be persisted in, and everything be kept perfectly clean, 
you can rid the house of the insects. 



ODD BITS OF USEFUL KNOWLEDGE. 387 

Keeping Flies from Chandeliers. 

Wipe the chandeliers with a soft cloth that has been wet 
in kerosene oil. This should be done several times during 
the summer. Fly specks can be wiped off in the same man- 
ner, even when on gilt picture frames ; but the cloth must 
be only slightly moistened in the latter case, and used lightly, 
else the gilt itself may come off. 

Driving away Ants. 

Put green walnuts around the places where the ants come 
and they will disappear ; or, strew fresh pennyroyal around. 
If it is impossible to get the fresh herb, use the oil. Tar 
mixed with hot water, and placed in bowls or jars in the 
room or closet, will often drive away these pests. 

Care of the Hands. 

Doing housework is apt to make the hands become rough. 
Have thick gloves to wear when making fires and cleaning 
stoves and grates. Wear, when sweeping and dusting, old 
gloves that fit loosely. As much as possible use one kind 
of soap ; changes of soap and water irritate the hands. 
Have soft hand-towels in the kitchen, and always wipe the 
hands perfectly dry. When the work is done rub the hands 
with bran and vinegar diluted with water. Rinse them in 
tepid water and wipe perfectly dry. Rub a little cold 
cream into the hands at night, and also, if convenient, after 
the coarse work has been done for the day. 



388 MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. 



Cold Cream. 



2 ounces of cocoa butter. 
2 ounces of spermaceti. 
2 ounces of white wax. 



2 ounces of rose water. 

4 ounces of sweet almond oil. 



Break up the wax, spermaceti, and cocoa butter. Put all 
the mgredients into a bowl, and place this in a pan of boil- 
ing water. Stir the mixture until it becomes a soft, smooth 
mass ; then put it in little jars, and keep in a cool dry place. 
This is excellent for the hands and face. In winter use 
only one ounce of spermaceti. 




Cupfuls, Half-pints, and Gills. 

The ordinary kitchen cup is supposed to hold half a pint, 

and nearly all writers of cook-books base their measure- 
ments on this understanding. Nearly all first- 
class kitchen furnishing stores keep what are 
known as measuring cups. They are made of 
tin, and hold half a pint, old measure. One 
cup is divided into four parts, and one into 
three. A set of these cups will be found of 

the greatest value in the kitchen, as they insure accurate 

measurements. 

Here is a table which will be helpful to those who do not 

have such cups to work with : — 

I cupful = J4 pint. 
)4 cupful = I gill. 
X cupful = )4 gill. 



QUART 
MEASURE. 



ODD BITS OF USEFUL KNOWLEDGE. 389 

Equivalents of Measures in Weight. 

New-process flour, i quart less i gill i pound. 

Pastry flour, i quart, sifted 

Granulated sugar, i heaped pint 

Butter, I pint 

Powdered sugar, 5 gills 

Chopped meat, i pint, packed solid 

Liquids, i pint 

Eggs, ID of average size 

Corn meal, ^ pint 6 ounces. 

Rice, Yz pint 8 

Raisins, stemmed, ^ pint 6 

English currants, cleaned, y^ pint 6 

Bread crumbs, grated, i pint 4 

Granulated sugar, i heaped tablespoonful . . . . i 

Powdered sugar, i slightly rounded tablespoonful . % 

Butter, I rounded tablespoonful i 

Flour, I rounded tablespoonful ^ 

Baking powder, i heaped teaspoonful % 

Soda, I slightly rounded teaspoonful %. 

Cream of tartar, 2 slightly rounded teaspoonf uls . % 

Ginger, i heaped teaspoonful • % 

Cinnamon, i heaped teaspoonful X 

Allspice, I generously heaped teaspoonful .... X 

Clove, I slightly heaped teaspoonful X 

Mace, I heaped teaspoonful . X 

Pepper, i heaped teaspoonful % 

Salt, I teaspoonful X 

Mustard, i rounded teaspoonful X 

Nutmegs, 5 i 

Tea, 3 scant teaspoonfuls X 

Coffee, roasted berry, i tablespoonful Yz 

Liquids, 2 tablespoonf uls i 



INDEX. 



A WORD WITH THE YOUNG HOUSBW^IFB. 



Page 



Diffsrence between mere house- 
keeping and home-making 
Folly of " keeping up appear- 



Page 



My idea of good housekeeping . 

Some things a good housekeeper 

will do 



ABOUT FURNISHING THB HOUSB. 



Introduction 


4 


Carpets and rugs, selecting . . 


6 


Chambers, what to buy for the . 


■> 


Cutlery, fashions in .... 


9 


Dainty things for the table . . 


9 


Dining-room furniture . . . 


S 


Dinner and tea set, choosing a . 


7 


Kitchen, What is Needed 




IN THE 


II 


List of articles most in use 


12 


Range, the 


II 



Linen Closet, Furnishing 
Bed spreads and blankets , 

Doilies 

Linen, imported .... 
Napkins, size and quality of 
Sheets and pillow cases 
Table-cloths and napkins , 
Tea, carving, and tray cloths 
Towels, bath and bedroom 
Towels, kitchen and pantry 

Sitting-room, comfort in the 



13 

i8 

i6 

H 
i6 
i8 
H 
17 

20 
21 

6 



DIVISION OF THB HOUSEHOLD WORK. 



Introduction 22 

Cleaning a room by system . . 26 

Day of rest, a 28 

Every-day duties 23 

Last half of the week, duties in 

the 27 



Morning, what to do in the . . 
Servant, where one is kept . . 
Servants, two or more in the fam- 

iiy 

Special work for special days 



23 
26 



29 
24 



392 



INDEX. 



SOME THINGS TO BE LEARNED EARLY. 



Bath-room, about the .... 
Fires, proper management of 
Furnace fire, pomts about the . 
Garbage barrel, do not neglect the 
Lamps, getting the greatest good 

out of 

Plumbing, taking care of . . . 
Refrigerator, the, keeping sweet 



Page 
36 
31 
32 

Z1 

34 

35 



Washing Dishes . . 
Cautions, some special . . . 
China, tins, and iron-ware . . 
Glassware, proper care of . . 
Knife blades, do not slight the 
Rust and other annoyances . 
Silver, care of 40 



Page 

38 
40 

39 
38 
41 
42 



VW^ORK ON WASHING DAY. 



Introduction 44 



Curtains, lace, cleaning . . . 
Curtains, washable, how to laun- 
der 

Flannels, how to wash . . * . 

Ironing 

Satines, ginghams, and prints . 



47 

47 

45 
48 

44 



Silk undergarments, the right 

way to wash 46 

Soap, borax 50 

Soap, hard, rule for .... 49 

Soap, soft . 50 

Starching 48 



IN THE DINING-ROOM. 



Introduction .... 
Breakfast table, at the . . 
Dinner table, how to set the 
Duties of the waitress . . 
Luncheon and tea table . . 



52 
54 
55 
57 
=;6 



Refinement not exclusively for 

the rich 53 

Serving meals without a servant 58 

Table, setting the 52 

Waitress, duties of the . . . . 57 



BUYING FOOD AND CARING FOR IT. 



Beef, fore quarter of ... . 64 

Beef, hind quarter of ... . 62 

Beef, loin of 70 

Beef, rump of 71 

Beef, sirloin, second cut ... 66 

Butter ^T^ 

Buying for a small family . . 70 

Chops, rib 69 

Chuck ribs 61 

Clarifying fat 76 

Eggs ']Z 

First five ribs 61 

Food, care of 75 

Fore quarter of beef . . .64 

Going to market ..... 60 

Groceries 74 



Hind quarter of beef .... 62 

Leg of mutton 72 

Loin of beef 70 

Market, going to 60 

Milk 73 

Mutton, carcass of 67 

Mutton, leg of 72 

Odds and ends, care of . . . 'j'j 

Rib chops 69 

Ribs, chuck 61 

Ribs, first five 61 

Rump of beef 71 

Sirloin of beef, second cut . . 66 

Sirloin roast 68 

Small family, buying for a . . 70 



INDEX. 



393 



SOUPS. 



Page 

Bean 92 

Bearij cream of 92 

Bean, Lima 90 

Beef 82 

Bisque, mock 87 

Chicken 86 

Chowder, clam ...... 73 

Chowder, fish 94 

Chowder, salt codfish .... 95 

Clam chowder 93 

Clam 93 

Codfish chowder, salt .... 95 

Corn 89 

Cream of bean 92 

Cream of dried peas .... 91 

Cream of rice 86 

Dried pea 91 

Dried pea, cream of .... 91 

Fish chowder 94 

Hub 90 



Page 

Lima bean 90 

Macaroni 82 

Macaroni and tomato .... 88 

Mock bisque Sy 

Oxtail 83 

Oyster 92 

Pea, dried 91 

Plain stock 80 

Potato 89 

Rice 82 

Rice, cream of 86 

Salt codfish chowder .... 95 

Scotch broth 84 

Stock, a good plain .... 80 

Stock, second 81 

Tomato 87 

Tomato, No. 2 88 

Tomato and macaroni .... 88 

Veal broth 84 

Vegetable soup 85 



FISH. 



Introduction 96 

Baked fish 98 

Baked salt mackerel .... 99 

Boiling fish 97 

Breaded fish loi 

Breaded lobster 109 

Broiling fish 99 

Broiled halibut 100 

Clams, roast iii 

Clams, steamed in 

Clams, stewed no 

Codfish, salt, in cream . . . . 102 

Crabs, escaloped . . . . . no 

Creamed oysters 107 

Curry of lobster 108 

Escaloped crabs no 

Escaloped fish loi 

Escaloped lobster 109 

Escaloped oysters 106 

Escaloped shrimp no 

Fish balls 103 

Fish cakes 103 



Fish cakes, fresh 104 

Fricassee of lobster 109 

Fried fish 100 

Fried oysters 107 

Fried scallops 105 

Halibut, broiled 1 00 

How fish should be broiled . , 99 

How to boil fish 97 

Lobster 108 

Lobster, breaded ., ... 109 

Lobster, curry of 108 

Lobster, escaloped 109 

Lobster, fricassee of . . . . 109 

Mackerel, baked salt .... 99 

Oj^sters au gratin . . . . . 106 

Oysters, creamed 107 

Oysters, escaloped 106 

Oysters, fried 107 

Oysters on toast . . . . . 105 

Oyster stew 105 

Roast clams in 

Salt codfish in cream .... 102 



394 



INDEX. 



FISH {continued). 



Page 

Scallops, fried 105 

Shrimp, escaloped no 

Steamed clams m 



Page 
Stewed clams . . . . . . no 

Stewed oysters 105 



HOW TO COOK MEAT. 



Baked hash i47 

Beef, braised 131 

Beef, shin, stewed 129 

Beefsteak and onions . ■. . . 124 

Beefsteak roll 132 

Beef stew from cold roast . . 134 

Beef olives 133 

Blanquette of cold meat . . . 138 

Boiling 112 

Boiled corned beef 113 

Boiled fowl 154 

Boiled ham 115 

Boiled leg of mutton .... 112 

Boiled tongue 115 

Braised beef 131 

Breaded chicken 157 

Breaded chops 127 

Breaded sausages 129 

Breaded veal cutlets . . . , 128 

Breading croquettes . . . . 151 

Broiling 122 

Broiling in a frying-pan . . . 123 

Broiled chops with bacon . , 123 

Broiled kidneys 142 

Broiled small birds 162 

Broiled tripe 144 

Broiled venison 163 

Calf's liver saute 143 

Chicken, breaded 157 

Chicken, creamed 158 

Chicken dressing 157 

Chicken, fried 158 

Chicken gravy 156 

Chicken livers en brochette . . 144 

Chicken pie 160 

Chicken, roast 155 

Chicken, stewed 159 

Chicken, white fricassee . . . 160 

Chops, breaded 127 

Chops, broiled, with bacon . .123 



Chops, pork 139 

Cold lamb stew ...... 135 

Cold meat, blanquette of . . . 138 

Cold mutton stew 135 

Cold roast, beef stew from . . 134 

Corned beef, boiled 113 

Corned beef hash 146 

Corned beef, spiced ....114 

Creamed chicken 158 

Creamed dried beef 135 

Creamed turkey 159 

Croquettes, breading .... 151 

Croquettes, meat and potato . 152 

Croquettes, mutton . . . . 150 

Curried rabbit 163 

Cutlets, mutton, saute . . . 128 

Cutlets, veal, breaded . . . . 128 

Dried beef, creamed . . . . 135 

Duck, roast 160 

Fat, how to keep ..... 126 

Fat, the kind to use .... 126 

Fresh meat hash 146 

Fresh tongue 115 

Fricassee of rabbit 162 

Fricassee of veal 137 

Fried chicken 158 

Fried liver and bacon .... 143 

Fried salt pork 139 

Fried tripe 145 

Frizzled smoked beef .... 135 

Frying 124 

Frying basket, the way to lower it 127 

Frying-pan, to broil in ... 123 

Gravy, chicken 156 

Grouse, roast- 161 

Ham, boiled 115 

Ham, roast 121 

Hamburg steaks 133 

Hash, baked 147 

Hash, corned beef 146 



INDEX. 



395 



HOW TO COOK MEAT {contmued). 



Page 

Hash of fresh meat . . . . 146 

How to clean and truss poultry . 153 

How to keep fat 126 

How to roast meat in the oven . 117 

Kidneys, broiled 142 

Kidneys saute 141 

Kidneys, stewed 141 

Lamb, roast 119 

Leg of mutton, boiled . . . . 112 

Liver, fried, with bacon . . . 143 

Livers, chicken, en brochette . 144 

Meat and potato croquettes . , 152 

Meat cakes 148 

Meat, how to roast in the oven . 117 

Meat, minced, on toast . . . 148 

Minced meat on toast .... 148 

Miscellaneous modes .... 129 

Mutton, boiled leg of . . . . 112 

Mutton croquettes 150 

Mutton cutlets saute .... 128 

Mutton, ragout of 137 

Mutton, roast 120 

Mutton, steamed 113 

Mutton, stuffed ....... 120 

Olives, beef 133 

Partridge, roast 161 

Pickled tongue 115 

Pie. chicken 160 

Pork chops 139 

Pork, roast 121 

Pot roast 130 

Poultry, to clean and truss . . 153 

Ptarmigan, roast 161 

Rabbit, curried 163 

Rabbit, fricassee of 162 

Ragout of mutton . . . . . 1^7 

Rib of beef, roast 118 

Roast chicken 155 

Roast duck 160 

Roast grouse 161 

Roast ham 121 

Roasting meat, science in . . 116 

Roast lamb 119 

Roast mutton 120 

Roast partridge 161 



Roast pork 

Roast ptarmigan .... 
Roast rib of beef .... 

Roast turkey 

Roast veal 

Salt pork, fried 

Salt pork in batter .... 

Sanders 

Sausages, breaded .... 

Sausage cakes 

Sausage hash 

Science in roasting meat . . 
Sheep's hearts, stewed . . 
Shin of beef, stewed . . . 
Small birds, broiled . . . 

Small timbales 

Smoked beef, frizzled . . . 
Smoked tongue . . . . 
Spiced corned beef .... 
Steak, Hamburg .... 
Steamed mutton .... 
Stew from cold lamb or mutton 

Stewed chicken 

Stewed kidneys 

Stewed sheep's hearts . . 
Stewed shin of beef . . . 

Stuffed mutton 

Tongue, boiled 

Tongue, pickled 

Tongue, smoked .... 

Tongue toast 

Tripe, broiled 

Tripe, fried 

Tripe fried in batter . . . 
Turkey, creamed .... 
Turkey or chicken dressing . 

Turkey, roast 

Veal cutlets, breaded . . . 
Veal cutlets, saute .... 
Veal, fricassee of .... 

Veal olives . , 

Veal, roast 

Venison, broiled . . . . , 
Venison steak saute . . . . 
White fricassee of chicken . , 



Page 
121 
161 
118 

156 
120 

139 
140 
149 
129 
140 

147 
116 
142 
129 
162 
149 
135 

115 
114 

113 

135 
159 
141 
T42 
129 
120 
"5 
"5 
1^5 
148 
144 
145 
145 
159 
157 
156 
128 
136 
137 
X36 

T20 
163 
163 
160 



396 



INDEX. 



SAUCES FOR MEAT AND PISH. 



Page 

Bechamel 165 

Bisque x68 

Bread 171 

Brown 164 

Brown, No. 2 164 

Butter 167 

Butter, maitre d'hotel .... 170 

Caper 167 

Cream 166 

Currant jelly 170 

Curry 167 



Page 
Egg 167 

Hollandaise 168 

Maitre d'hotel butter .... 170 



Mint 



170 



Mushroom i6r 

Mustard .166 

Parsley 166 

Tartar 169 

Tomato 169 

White 165 



SALADS. 



Introduction 172 

Beet 175 

Chicken 174 

Cooked salad dressing .... 173 

Fish 174 

French dressing 173 

Lettuce and tomato .... 175 



Lobster 174 

Mayonnaise dressing . . . . 172 

Potato 176 

Potato, No. 2 176 

Salad dressing, cooked . . . 17^ 

Tomato and lettuce .... 175 

Vegetable 175 



VEGETABLES. 



Introduction 177 

Asparagus on toast 192 

Asparagus with cream sauce . . 192 

Baked beans 190 

Baked cabbage 195 

Baked hominy 197 

Baked rice 198 

Baked sweet potatoes .... 182 

Beans, baked 190 

Beans, butter 189 

Beans, shelled kidney .... 190 

Beets 185 

Boiled carrots 186 

Boiled cauliflower 187 

Boiled macaroni 196 

Boiled onions 183 

Boiled potatoes 178 

Boiled rice I97 

Boiled sweet potatoes .... 182 

Boiled turnips 185 

Browned sweet potatoes . . . 183 



Cabbage, baked 195 

Cabbage, creamed ..... 194 

Cabbage, fried 195 

Cabbage, hashed 194 

Canned corn 188 

Canned peas 191 

Carrots, boiled 186 

Cauliflower au gratin . . . . 187 

Cauliflower, boiled 187 

Celery 199 

Corn, canned 188 

Corn, green . 188 

Corn oysters 188 

Creamed cabbage 194 

Creamed onions 184 

Croquettes, potato 182 

Croquettes, rice 198 

Dried Lima beans 189 

Dried Lima beans, No. 2 . . 189 

Egg plant, fried 196 

Fresh Lima beans 189 



INDEX. 



397 



VEGETABLES {continued). 



Page 

Fried cabbage 195 

Fried egg plant 196 

Green corn 188 

Green peas 191 

Greens 193 

Hash, vegetable 198 

Hashed cabbage ...... 194 

Hashed potatoes . . ... 180 

Hominy, baked 197 

Lettuce, how to keep crisp . . 199 

Lima beans, dried 189 

Lima beans, dried, No. 2 . . . 189 

Lima beans, fresh 189 

Lyonnaise potatoes 181 

Macaroni, boiled 196 

Macaroni with cheese .... 197 

Mashed turnips 186 

Nichewaug potatoes . . . . 181 

Onions au gratin 184 

Onions, boiled 183 

Onions, creamed 184 

Parsnips 186 

Peas, canned 191 

Peas, green 191 

Potato cakes 182 

Potato croquettes 182 

Potatoes au gratin 180 

Potatoes, boiled 178 

Potatoes, hashed 180 



Potatoes, stewed 

Potatoes, stewed, No. 2 . . . 
Potatoes, sweet, baked . . . 
Potatoes, sweet, boiled . . 
Potatoes, sweet, browned 
Potatoes, sweet, warming over . 

Rice, baked 

Rice, boiled 

Rice croquettes 

Salsify 

Shelled kidney beans .... 

Sliced tomatoes 

Spinach 

Squash 

Squash, summer 

Stewed potatoes 

Stewed potatoes. No. 2 . . . 

Stewed tomatoes 

String beans ........ 

Succotash of dried Lima beans 

and canned corn 

Summer squash 

Tomatoes au gratin . , . . 

Tomatoes, sliced 

Tomatoes, stewed 

Turnips, boiled 

Turnips, mashed 

Vegetable hash 

Warming over sweet potatoes 



Page 
179 

179 
182 
182 
183 
183 
198 
197 
198 
187 
190 
184 

193 
195 
196 
179 
179 
184 



190 
196 
185 
184 
184 

185 
186 
198 
188 



MISCELLANEOUS DISHES. 



Apple fritters . * 207 

Apple sauce, evaporated . . . 213 

Apple sauce, green 213 

Apples, broiled . . . . . . 213 

Apples, fried 213 

Apricots, evaporated . . . . 214 

Baked eggs 202 

Baked omelet 205 

Baked pears 214 

Baked sweet apples . . . . 212 

Baked toast 208 

Batter for fruit fritters . . . 207 

Boiled eggs 200 

Boiled hominy 211 



Bread, fried 206 

Bread omelet 205 

Breaded eggs 202 

Broiled apples 213 

Corn meal mush 210 

Cracker cream toast .... 209 

Cranberry jelly . . , . . . , 213 

Cranberry sauce 215 

Creamed eggs 202 

Dumplings . , .... 215 

Eggs au gratin 201 

Eggs, baked 202 

Eggs, boiled 200 

Eggs, breaded 202 



398 



INDEX. 



MISCELLANEOUS DISHES {continued.) 



Page 

Eggs, creamed 202 

Egg cutlets 203 

Eggs, fried 201 

Eggs, poached 200 

Eggs scrambled 201 

Evaporated apple sauce . . . 213 

Evaporated apricots .... 214 

Evaporated peaches .... 214 

Fried apples 213 

Fried bread 206 

Fried eggs 201 

Fried hominy 211 

Fried mush .... . . .210 

Fritters, apple 207 

Fruit fritters, batter for . . . 207 

Fruit sauces 212 

Green apple sauce 213 

Hominy, boiled 211 

Hominy cakes 211 

Hominy, fried 211 

Maple syrup from sugar . . . 207 

Milk toast 208 

Mush 209 

Mush, corn meal 210 



Page 

Mush, fried 210 

Oatmeal mush 210 

Omelet, baked 205 

Omelet, plain 203 

Oyster crackers, roasted . . . 206 

Peaches, evaporated . . . . 214 

Pears, baked 214 

Plain omelet 203 

Poached eggs 200 

Prunes, stewed 214 

Rarebit, Welsh 206 

Rhubarb sauce 215 

Roasted oyster crackers . . 206 

Scrambled eggs "■ . 201 

Soft butter toast 208 

Stewed prunes 214 

Sweet apples, baked . . . . 212 

Syrup, maple, from sugar . . 207 

Toast, baked 208 

Toast, cracker cream .... 209 

Toast, milk . . .... 208 

Toast, soft butter 208 

Welsh rarebit 206 



BREAD IN VARIOUS FORMS. 



Introduction . . . 
Baking powder biscuit 
Baking powder griddle cakes 
Baltimore hominy bread . 
Biscuit, baking powder 
Blueberry griddle cakes . 
Blueberry muffins . 
Boston brown bread 
Bread, Baltimore hominy . 

Bread, corn 

Bread dough, rolls from . 
Bread, entire-wheat 
Bread, graham .... 
Bread griddle cakes . . 
Bread made with dry yeast 
Bread, pulled .... 
Bread, rye . . . 
Bread, steamed Indian 
Bread, water 



217 
226 
236 

234 
226 

237 
232 
222 

234 
233 
223 
221 
221 
238 
219 
223 
222 
223 
220 



Buckwheat cakes 235 

Buttermilk or sour milk muffins 230 

Cakes, baking powder griddle . 236 

Cakes, blueberry griddle . . . 237 

Cakes, bread griddle .... 236 

Cakes, buckwheat * 235 

Cakes, sour milk graham griddle 236 

Cakes, ground rice griddle . . 237 

Cakes, hominy griddle . . . 236 
Cakes, hominy, with sour milk, 

griddle 237 

Cakes, raised flannel .... 238 

Cakes, sour milk griddle . . . 235 

Cakes, sour milk Indian griddle 236 

Corn bread 233 

Corn cake, spider 233 

Corn dodgers 234 

Cream of tartar muffins . . . 232 

Crumpets 227 



INDEX. 



399 



BREAD IN VARIOUS FORMS {continued) 



Page 

Dry yeast, bread made with • . 219 

Entire-wheat bread 221 

Flour pop-overs 228 

Gems, wheat 229 

Graham bread 221 

Graham muffins 231 

Graham muffins with sour milk 231 

Graham pop-overs 229 

Griddle cakes, bread .... 238 

Griddle cakes, baking powder . 236 

Griddle cakes, blueberry . . . 237 

Griddle cakes, ground rice . . 237 

Griddle cakes, hominy .... 236 
Griddle cakes, hominy, with sour 

milk 237 

Griddle cakes, sour milk . . . 235 

Griddle cakes, sour milk graham 236 

Griddle cakes, sour milk Indian 236 

Ground rice griddle cakes . . . 237 

Hominy griddle cakes .... 236 
Hominy griddle cakes with sour 

milk 237 

Hominy waffles 240 

Hop yeast 218 

Luncheon rolls 226 

Milk rolls 225 

Muffins, blueberry 232 

Muffins, buttermilk or sour milk 230 

Muffins, cream of tartar . . . 232 

Muffins, graham 231 

Muffins, graham with sour milk 231 

Muffins, raised wheat .... 230 

Muffins, rye 231 

Muffins, rye, with sour milk . . 231 

Muffins, white corn meal . . , 233 

Muffins, yellow corn meal . . 232 



Parker House rolls 

Pin wheels 

Pop-overs, flour 

Pop-overs, graham 

Pulled bread 

Quick luncheon rolls . . . . 
Raised flannel cakes . . . . 
Raised wheat muffins . . . , 
Raised wheat waffles . . . . 
Rolls from bread dough . . . 

Rolls, luncheon 

Rolls, quick luncheon . . . . 

Rolls, milk 

Rolls, Parker House . . . . 

Rolls, sponge 

Rye bread 

Rye muffins 

Rye muffins, with sour milk 
Rye pop-overs ...... 

Sally Lunn 

Sour milk graham griddle cakes 
Sour milk griddle cakes . . . 
Sour milk Indian griddle cakes 
Sour milk or buttermilk muffins 
Spider corn cake . . . . , 

Sponge rolls 

Steamed Indian bread . . . . 

Waffles 

Waffles, hominy 

Waffles, raised wheat . . . . 

Water bread 

Wheat gems , 

White corn meal muffins . . . 

Yeast, hop 

Yellow corn *ieal muffins . . . 



Page 
224 
227 
228 
229 
223 
227 
238 
230 
240 
223 
226 
227 
225 
224 
224 
222 
231 
231 
229 
228 
236 

255 
236 
230 

233 
224 
223 
238 
240 
240 
220 
229 

233 
218 

232 



CAKE. 



Angel . 244 

Blackberry jam 242 

Blueberry 247 

Chocolate icing 252 

Clinton doughnuts 249 

Cold water 245 

Corn starch 2.J4 



Dropped doughnuts .... 250 

Gingerbread, maple sugar . . 248 

Gingerbread, soft molasses . . 248 

Gingerbread, soft molasses. No. 2 249 

Gingerbread, soft molasses. No. 3 249 

Hermits 247 

Icing 252 



400 



INDEX. 



CAKE {continued). 



Maple sugar gingerbread 

Plain cup . 

Plain sponge 

Raised fruit 

Rich cup . 

Rich sponge 



Page 

240 
245 

243 
241 

245 

242 



Soft molasses gingerbread 

Spice 

Strawberry shortcake . . • 
Strawberry shortcake, No. 2. . 251 

Swiss 246 

Tea 246 



Page 
248 
241 
251 



PASTRY. 



Apple pie, sliced 254 

Apple pie, stewed 255 

Apple turnovers 259 

Berry pies 256 

Berry tarts ....... 258 

Chocolate pie 258 

Cream pie 257 

Delicate paste 253 

Lemon pie 256 



Mince meat 254 

Mince pies 255 

Peach pie 255 

Plain paste 253 

Shced apple pie 254 

Squash pie 256 

Stewed apple pie 255 

Sweet potato pie 257 

Washington pie ...... 258 



PUDDINGS. 



Apple and Indian 262 

Apple sponge 263 

Apple tapioca 262 

Baked apple 261 

Baked apple dumplings . . . 261 

Baked Indian 271 

Baked rice 280 

Berry 266 

Blackberry 267 

Blueberry 265 

Blueberry, No. 2 266 

Boiled rice 278 

Bread . . 272 

Caramel 276 

Chester 269 

Chocolate ........ 275 

Chocolate, No. 2 275 

Cocoanut 277 

Cold farina 280 

Cold rice •. . ."^ 279 

Corn starch 276 

Cottage 273 

Cream 274 

Custard 277 

Dumplings, baked apple . . . 262 



Dumplings, steamed apple . . 262 

English rice 280 

Farina, cold .... . . 280 

Farina fruit 281 

Farina, hot ....... 280 

Graham . . . . . , . . 270 

Hot farina 280 

Indian and apple 262 

Jam 268 

Lemon 273 

Little fruit 265 

Mock Indian ....... 272 

Oatmeal . 278 

Orange snow 283 

Peach tapioca 263 

Plum 269 

Prune 263 

Prune tapioca 264 

Quick steamed apple .... 261 

Quiver 268 

Raspberry tapioca 264 

Rhubarb 267 

Rice balls 279 

Rose 281 

Snow 282 



INDEX. 



401 



PUDDINGS {cotitinued). 



Page 

Snow, No. 2 282 

Snow blancmange 283 

Sponge 273 

Sponge apple 263 

Steamed apple 260 

Steamed apple dumplings . . 262 

Steamed batter 268 

Steamed black 267 



Page 

Steamed Indian 271 

Steamed Indian and apple . . 271 

Steamed Indian berry .... 271 

Tapioca 278 

Tapioca prune 264 

Tapioca raspberry ..... 264 

Turkish 270 

Wayne 270 



PUDDING SAUCES. 



Cinnamon 286 

Clear 286 

Clear lemon 286 

Creamy 284 

Egg 285 

Foaming 284 

Fruit 285 



Golden 287 

Hot cream ........ 288 

Italian 287 

Molasses 285 

Nutmeg 286 

Vinegar 285 

Wine 284 



SWEETS. 



Apricot ice . . . 
Baked cup custards 
Blackberry jelly . 
Blancmange, chocolate 
Blancmange, moss . 
Bljmcmange, sea moss 
Chocolate ice cream 
Cider jelly 
Coffee jelly . . 
Cup custards, baked 
Cup custards, steamed 
Custard, soft . . . 
Directions for freezing 
Lemon jelly . 
Lemon sherbet . 
Milk sherbet . . 
Moss blancmange 



farina 



299 
290 
294 
292 
292 
292 
297 

293 
294 

290 

290 

289 

295 

293 
298 

298 
292 



Orange jelly 294 

Orange sherbet 298 

Peach ice 299 

Peach ice cream 297 

Pistachio ice cream 297 

Raspberry jelly 294 

Rennet custard 290 

Sea moss farina blancmange . . 292 

Slip , 291 

Soft custard 289 

Steamed cup custards .... 290 

Strawberry Bavarian cream . . 291 

Strawberry ice cream .... 297 

Strawberry jelly 294 

Tapioca custard 290 

Vanilla ice cream 296 

Wine jelly 293 



BEVERAGES. 



Boiled coffee 302 

Breakfast cocoa 304 

Broma 304 

Chocolate 304 

Cocoa 304 



Cocoa shells and nibs .... 306 

Coffee 301 

Filtered coffee 302 

Lemonade 306 

Tea 300 

26 



402 



INDEX. 



PRESERVES AND PICKLES. 



Page 

Blackberry jam 314 

Canadian tomato pickle . . . 320 

Canned rhubarb 314 

Canned tomatoes 322 

Canning fruits 311 

Catsup, tomato 321 

Covering jellies 316 

Crab apples 308 

Crab apple jelly . ..... 318 

Crab apple, spiced 323 

Cucumber pickles 318 

Currant and raisin jam . . . 315 

Currant jelly 316 

Currant jelly, No. 2 .... 317 

Currants, spiced 322 

Different fruits need different 

treatment 312 

Filling the jars 312 

Governor's sauce 321 

Grape preserve 309 

Jam, blackberry 314 

Jam, raisin and currant . . . 315 

Jam, raspberry 314 

Jellies 315 

Jelly, currant 316 

Other jellies 318 

Peaches, preserved .... 307 



Page 

Pear marmalade 315 

Pears, preserved 308 

Piccalilli 323 

Pickle, tomato 320 

Pickles, cucumber 318 

Pineapple, preserved .... 310 

Pineapple, uncooked, preserved 310 

Preserved peaches .... 307 

Preserved pears 308 

Preserved pineapple .... 310 

Preserved uncooked pineapple . 310 

Preserved plums 309 

Preserved quinces ..... 309 

Pulp of fruit, what to do with it 307 

Quality of the fruit .... 307 

Raspberry jam 314 

Rhubarb, canned 314 

Small fruits, how to can . . . 313 

Spiced crab apple 323 

Spiced currants 322 

Sun cooked strawberries . . . 311 

Sweet cucumber pickles . . . 319 

Tomatoes, canned 322 

Tomato catsup 321 

Tomato pickle 320 

What to do with fruit pulp . . 307 



FOR THOSE "WHO LIVE ON FARMS. 



Introduction ....... 324 

Bacon, to cure breakfast . . . 328 

Butter making 335 

Cheese, cottage 335 

Cheese, hogs' head .... 330 

Chine and jowl, to cure . . . 328 

Chine pillau 329 

Corned shoulder of mutton . . 326 
Corning, how to prepare meat 

for . . 325 

Cottage cheese 335 

Cream, care of . - 334 

Dairy, the 334 

English sausage meat .... 328 

Essence of rennet 333 

Hams, to cure 327 

Hogs' head cheese 330 

Jowl and chine, to cure . . . 328 



Jowl, to cook 329 

Lard, how to render .... 320 

Milk, care of 334 

Mutton, corned shoulder of . . 326 

Pickle for any kind of meat . . 326 

Pickle for tongues 326 

Pigs' feet 332 

Pillau, chine 329 

Rennet, essence of 333 

Rennet, to preserve .... 332 

Rennet wine ....... 333 

Sausage meat 328 

Sausage meat, English . . . 328 

Scrapple 331 

Soused tripe 332 

Tongues, pickle for .... 326 

Tripe '332 

Wine, rennet 333 



INDEX. 



403 



CARE OF THE SICK. 



Page 

Introductton 338 

Apple water 348 

Arrowroot gruel 347 

Barley water ' . . 348 

Bathing 339 

Beef juice 345 

Beef tea 344 

Broth, mutton 341 

Camphorated oil 351 

Cleanliness and ventilation . . 329 

Cold in the head, remedy for . 351 

Cracked ice, to keep .... 341 

Cracker gruel 347 

Crust coffee 349 

Custard, mutton ...... 343 

Eggnog 348 

Egg tea 349 

Flour gruel 346 

For a cold in the head .... 3^1 

Gargle for a sore throat . . . 351 

Gruel, arrowroot 347 

Gruel, cracker 347 

Gruel, flour 346 

Gruel, Indian meal 346 

Gruel, oatmeal 346 

Ice, cracked, to keep .... 341 

Ice, to break in a sick room . . 341 

Indian meal gruel 346 

Jelly, restorative 350 



Page 

Lemonade, moss 349 

Lime water 351 

Milk punch 347 

Moss lemonade , 349 

Mutton broth 341 

Mutton custard ...... 343 

Neuralgia, to relieve .... 340 

Oatmeal gruel 346 

Oyster roast 343 

Oysters roasted in the shell . . 343 

Oysters, steamed 343 

Prunes, senna 350 

Punch, milk 347 

Raw beef sandwiches .... 345 

Restorative jelly 350 

Rice water , . . 348 

Roast oysters 343 

Roasted oysters, in the shell . 343 

Round steak 345 

Sandwiches, raw beef .... 345 

Senna prunes 350 

Sore throat, a gargle for . . . 351 

Steak, round 345 

Steamed oysters . . . . . 343 

Tea, beef .... ... 344 

Tea,egg 349 

Turpentine applications . . . 340 

Ventilation and cleanliness . . 339 

Wine whey 349 



WHEN CLEANING HOUSE. 



Introduction ,. . . . . 352 

Carpets, laying the .^ . . . . 357 

Carpets, taking up and cleaning 355 

Cleaning the cellar 353 

Dusting 356 

From cellar to attic .... 354 



Kitchen, pantry, and closets 
Rooms on the first floor . 

Sweeping 

System absolutely necessary 
Washing painted surfaces 
Whitewashing, importance of 



359 
358 
356 
352 
356 
354 



ODD BITS OF USEFUL KNOVTLEDGE. 



A word regarding stains . . . 371 

About whipping cream . . . 364 
Acids, what to do if they are 

spilled 37jr 

Alcohol for grass stains . . . 376 



Ants, how to drive away . . . 387 
Bouquet of sweet herbs, how to 

make -^^"j 

Brass, how to clean .... 383 

Bread, to freshen . . . . 367 



404 



INDEX. 



ODD BITS OF USEFUL KNOWLEDGE {contmued). 



Page 

Bread crumbs, how to prepare . 365 

Breading articles for frying . , 365 

Brightening leather furniture . 379 

Brushes, to clean 381 

Burning accidents, what to do in 

case of 368 

Cake, to freshen 367 

Care of straw matting .... 381 

Care of the hands 387 

Cement for china 384 

Chandeliers, keeping flies from . 387 
Chimney, what to do when it is 

cold 385 

Cleaning brass 383 

Cleaning chamois skins . . . 381 

Cleaning dress silks and ribbons 380 

Cleaning fluid, a good .... 378 
Coffee, tea, or wine stains on 

linen 374 

Cold cream 388 

Colors, restoring 377 

Conveniences when sweeping . 383 

Cream, about whipping . . . 364 

Crumbs, how to prepare . . . 365 

Cupfuls, half-pints, and gills . 388 

Driving away ants 387 

Equivalents of measures in 

weight 389 

Flies, to keep away from chande- 
liers 387 

Flour, difference in various 

brands 361 

Flour paste 368 

Fruit stains, treatment of . . 373 

Frying, breading articles for . 36:5 
Furniture, to remove stains 

from 382 

Getting rid of the odor of onions 366 
Grass stains, alcohol for . . . 376 
Grease spots on wall paper, treat- 
ment of 378 

Grease spots, to remove . . . 371 
Grease, to take from wood and 

stone 372 

Handles of knives and forks, 

how to fasten 384 



Page 

Hands, the care of 387 

Heat of the oven, how to test . 386 
Herbs, sweet, making a bouquet 

of 367 

How to prepare bread crumbs . 365 
Iron and earthen ware, to tem- 
per 367 

Iron rust, the best way to re- 
move 374 

Javelle water, how to make . . yj'] 

Kid, to prevent from cracking . 385 

Leather furniture, to brighten . 379 

Marble, removing stains from . 373 

Matting, care of 381 

Measures, equivalents of, in 

weight 389 

Mending breaks in plaster . . 383 
Meringue, to prevent from fall- 
ing 367 

Mildewed clothes, treatment of . 374 
Muriatic acid for stains on porce- 
lain 376 

Naphtha, use of, in the house- 
hold - . . . 369 

Oil, value of a drop of . . . . 385 
Onions, getting rid of the odor 

of 366 

Onion juice, ways to get . . . 366 

Oven heat, testing with paper . 386 

Oven thermometers .... 386 

Paint, to remove 376 

Paper, soiled, how to clean 378, 379 

Paste, flour 368 

Pitch and tar, to remove . . . 375 

Plaster, mending breaks in . . 383 
Points of difference in various 

brands of flour 361 

Porcelain, stains on, how to re- 
move 376 

Preventing a meringue from fall- 
ing 367 

Preventing silks and woollens 

from turning yellow .... 380 

Raisins, how to stone . . . 366 

Removing blood stains . . . 375 

Removing ink stains . . . • 37^ 



INDEX. 



405 



ODD BITS OF USEFUL KNOWLEDGE {continued). 



Page 

Removing iron rust .... 374 
Removing sewing-machine oil 

stains 375 

Removing stains from marble , yjT, 

Restoring colors 2)T1 

Ridding the house of water 

bugs 386 

Silk goods, to keep from turning 

yellow 380 

Soiled paper, stale bread for 

cleaning 379 

Stams, a word regarding . . . 371 

Stains, fruit, treatment of . . ill 
Stains on linen, — coffee, tea, cr 

wine 374 

Stains on porcelain, muriatic 

acid for 376 

Stains, removing ink .... 376 
Stale bread for cleaning soiled 

paper 379 

Stoning raisins in an easy man- 
ner 366 

Straw matting, care of . . . 381 
Sweeping, conveniences to use 

when 383 

Sweet herbs, making a bouquet of 367 

Tar, how to remove .... 375 
Testing the oven heat with 

paper 386 

Thermometers, oven .... 386 

To clean brushes 381 

To clean woods in natural finish 382 

To freshen bread and cake . . 367 



Page 
To make Javelle water . . . 377 
To prevent kid from cracking . 385 
To remove grease spots . , . 371 

To remove paint 376 

To remove pitch and tar . . . 375 
To remove white stains from 

furniture 382 

To take grease from wood and 

stone 372 

To temper iron and earthen 

ware 367 

Use of naphtha in the house- 
hold 369 

Value of a drop of oil , . . . 385 
Various brands of fiour, points 

of difference in 361 

Wall paper, treatment of grease 

spots on 378 

Wall paper, two ways to repair . 379 
Water bugs, ridding the house 

of 386 

Ways to get onion juice . . . 366 
What to do when burning acci- 
dents occur 368 

What to do when the chimney 
is cold ........ 385 

When and why soda, cream of 
tartar, and baking powders are 

used 363 

When acids are spilled . . . 377 
When clothes become mildewed 374 
Woollen g(jods, to keep from 

turning yellow .... 380 



V' 



B S ^07 



/^ 



